Online Certified EKG Technician Program | Abilene Christian University

Train To Become a Vital Member of Any Healthcare Team

National Healthcare Association Designed for both newcomers and healthcare professionals seeking to expand their skill set, this self‑paced, 100% online EKG technician course provides comprehensive instruction in cardiac anatomy, patient care, medical terminology, and electrocardiography procedures (ex. how to apply, monitor, and interpret these tests). Your curriculum also covers essential topics such as infection control and standard precautions. You will develop the confidence to operate and maintain EKG equipment, monitor patient conditions, recognize various EKG rhythms, and more.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be prepared to sit for the Certified EKG Technician (CET) exam offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). Your enrollment includes a prepaid exam voucher, providing you with a clear, supported path to national certification.

This course is 100% online. Start anytime.

Funding Disclaimer: For Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funded students, please consult with your funding source representative before taking advantage of the Medical Terminology test-out feature. Different funding programs may have specific requirements and/or restrictions. If you attempt the test-out feature(s) in the Medical Terminology course without getting approval, your funding benefits may be jeopardized.

Students utilizing the MyCAA scholarship should know that it can only be used towards tuition; it cannot be applied towards physical textbooks, materials, and/or other fees.

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Meet the Instructors

Rox Ann Sparks

Rox Ann Sparks, DNP, MSN, RN, CNE, CMHIMP, LNC, is an experienced nurse who has cared for patients and students in nearly every healthcare setting, with 35 years of practice in emergency medicine. Her nursing career has led her from obtaining her CNA, LVN, RN, and MSN to a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP).

Dr. Sparks has experience in being a floor nurse to a chair of nursing. She has developed many different healthcare programs, from PCT to BSN. She has also consulted in accreditation for nursing programs and presented numerous educational programs from natural health to chronic diseases. These experiences led her to become a Certified Nurse Educator.

Dr. Sparks is currently the CEO of Sparks Nursing Consulting, which helps patients become healthier by coaching them to better health. She works with multiple law firms on the defense of nursing standards. She also developed an RN NCLEX review book and app to use the questions and multiple online courses for nurses and healthcare support staff.

Gail Hubbard

Gail Hubbard, MSN, RN, RMA, has worked in the medical field for more than 30 years. Before earning her RN, she worked as a medical records technician, administrative and clinical medical assistant, EKG technician, and billing and coding specialist.

As an RN, Gail has worked in ICU/Stepdown, psychiatric mental health nursing, ambulatory surgery, infection control, and staff development. Gail has over ten years of experience teaching medical assisting, nursing, nurse assistant, EKG, and phlebotomy. After completing her master’s degree in nursing leadership and management from Western Governors University, Gail was the Nurse/Quality Improvement Manager for a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center.

Sandra Isaak

Sandra Isaak, MSN, BSN, RN, FNP-C, is an ANCC-certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) who currently works as a nurse practitioner in the emergency room at a local hospital. She has worked in this role for over 14 years, and she has spent the past 16 years teaching theory courses and clinical rotations for Certified Nursing Assistants, LVN to RN, RN, BSN, and MSN students. She has also taught and mentored students as program director of the FNP program at a local private university.

Certified EKG Technician FAQs

What is an EKG technician?

According to zippia.com, as an EKG technician, you operate advanced equipment and machines to diagnose and identify patients’ conditions with cardiovascular problems. Once the results of the EKG are in, these technicians endorse the results to the physicians assigned to the patient. EKG Technicians are neither doctors nor are they expected to be medically trained.

What does an EKG technician do?

EKG technicians typically work in hospital settings, outpatient clinics, diagnostic testing centers, labs, nursing and long-term care homes, and private physicians’ practices. EKG technicians generally perform the following duties:

Position patients correctly for monitoring
Educate patients about the testing procedures
Run EKGs and attach leads to patients, chest, arms, and legs
Perform stress tests
Prep patients for Holter monitoring (a type of ambulatory EKG device)
Obtain a baseline record of the heart’s function for comparison to future electrocardiograms
Deliver test results to physicians, nurse practitioners, or other medical professionals.
Perform administrative tasks related to patient appointments and record-keeping
Maintain EKG equipment
Schedule appointments
Assist physicians during procedures

What certification does this course prepare me for?

This course prepares you for the Certified EKG Technician (CET) certification offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Course Overview

Course Objectives

Learn core concepts of cardiac anatomy and physiology
Review proper EKG machine protocols and maintenance
Gain an interpretation of various EKG rhythms
Understand effective communication in clinical scenarios
Prepare for the Certified EKG Technician (CET) certification offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

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Prerequisites and Requirements

To be eligible for enrollment, you should have one of the following: a high school diploma, a GED or equivalent, or previous healthcare experience.

To qualify for the NHA CET certification, you must have a high school diploma or equivalent, successfully complete the course, and you must provide proof of 10 successfully performed EKGs on live individuals.

Note: It is the responsibility of each student to obtain the Live EKG experience, and ed2go is not responsible for providing or assisting with the required clinicals.

Clinical Experience Requirements

Disclaimer: To qualify for the clinical experience application process, students must successfully complete the online course and ensure their account balances are current (at a minimum). It is important to note that ed2go cannot guarantee placement at any clinical site, and students must take full responsibility for fulfilling their clinical requirements. However, our affiliated partnerships can increase the likelihood of finding a site that matches students’ needs. Students can begin researching the steps of the application process two weeks before completing courses.

Job Outlook

Certified EKG Technician

EKG technicians work in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, diagnostic testing centers, long‑term care facilities, and physician offices. As cardiovascular disease remains a leading health concern in the U.S., the need for trained professionals who can perform and interpret EKG tests continues to rise.

According to Salary.com, the average annual salary for an EKG technician in the U.S. is $54,700, with earnings varying based on experience, certifications, location, and work setting. Entry‑level technicians often earn between $35,000 and $45,000, while experienced professionals and those in specialized roles may earn $65,000 to $80,000 or more.