Employers are searching for healthcare workers never like before, and it’s a great time to jump in or learn something new.
Do you want to work as an EKG technician but aren’t sure about the interview questions?
EKG technician interview questions don’t always pertain to collecting EKG data. Employers will assume you know what you’re doing and will instead ask you questions based on your people skills, attention to detail, and how well you work under pressure.
It sounds like being good with technology is only half of this job.
In this article, we’ll explore 5 common EKG tech interview questions so you can rock that interview and get the job.
Common EKG Technician Interview Questions and Answers
Some of these questions directly relate to EKG technician positions, and others relate to your ability to work with patients and staff.
1. In your opinion, what is the most important quality of an EKG technician?
Just because you work with computers doesn’t mean you won’t work with patients.
When an employer asks you this question, they want to hear how you balance your technical skills with your people skills.
Remember, only pick one quality because that’s what they’re asking about.
When picking the quality, choose a quality that displays both technical and people skills. You can hit two birds with one stone for this question.
Example answer:
The most important quality in an EKG technician is attention to detail, both for the equipment and the patient.
A lot can happen around us when we’re working, but we need to stay focused on the little things.
Whether that’s an unexpected spike on the monitor or if the patient seems unusually distressed.
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2. Describe a time when you made an error. How did you remedy the situation?
This isn’t a trap, so don’t worry. Employers like to see how you’ve learned from your previous errors and how that improves your skills now.
Your story can be from any job, not just the medical field.
To answer this question, you’ll need an entire story of what went wrong, how you fixed it, and what you learned from it.
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When choosing an example, don’t focus on a problem involving another coworker.
The employer may see that as you trying to push the blame onto someone else. Instead, consider a time when something went wrong where you were the only responsible party.
Example answer:
When I worked as a medical receptionist, I double-booked a doctor for the same timeslot.
None of us noticed until both patients had arrived.
I rectified the situation by asking if one of them was able to come back at a later time and that we would waive the appointment fee for them.
It was embarrassing, but I learned to double-check all my input data after that!
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3. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.
Here, feel free to emphasize how you work well under certain pressure.
Don’t include self-created pressure due to procrastination or handling a task irresponsibly from the beginning.
For this question, you don’t need to focus on the EKG experience. You can talk about any job.
Don’t talk about being competitive with other coworkers. The employer may take that as a sign you don’t work well within a team.
You’re more than welcome to be competitive with yourself, but emphasize how that doesn’t encourage you to cut corners or to break the rules.
Example answer:
I set high expectations for myself and thrive under pressure.
Without compromising my work ability or performance, I enjoy setting myself new goals each day to do things better, faster, and more accurately.
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This false pressure prepares me for when things get down and dirty.
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4. How do you handle difficult or uncooperative patients?
Every job has difficult customers, but medical practices can have the most complex. The patient may not be upset with you and, instead, their situation.
To answer this question, explain how you always remain calm and professional.
Many patients become less distressed when they know exactly what’s going on. Emphasize your ability to describe your work as you perform it.
Being able to answer anxious questions while you’re setting up the EKG is a huge benefit to you and the patient.
Example answer:
I worked at a small clinic with a doctor that specialized in new patients. We had a patient around 16 years old come in who needed an EKG established.
While the patient was very calm, the mother was understandably very worried and kept asking me to pause and wait.
I invited her to watch me as I configured the EKG.
I did everything a little slower than usual and explained everything to her as I did it, pausing to see if she had any more questions.
The setup took a little longer than normal, but it was worth it to see her relax and understand what her child was going through.
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5. How do you ensure that safety and quality standards are always met?
There are few places where safety is as important as in a doctor’s office.
To answer this question, discuss how you clean, sanitize, stock, and appropriately calibrate the EKG machinery to ensure everything is working properly.
Take the employer through the steps you like to focus on for optimal safety.
If you’ve worked on safety protocols at previous jobs, make sure to mention that.
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It can be anything from SOPs to cheat sheets to helping organize meetings about quality or safety. Working with those initiatives proves that you consider them essential to the job.
Example answer:
Each morning when I come in, I check to see when my first patient visit is.
After that, I head to the testing room to clean and sanitize the room and the equipment.
From there, I make sure everything is stocked and ready to go before I begin calibrating the machine.
If anything looks out of the ordinary, I let someone know immediately.
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EKG Technician Interview Questions and Answers PDF
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Conclusion: Interview Questions for EKG Tech
Answering EKG technician interview questions don’t need to be a terrifying experience.
Trust that you know what you’re talking about and that you’re qualified for the position. Be prepared for questions that relate to both EKGs and personal standards.
After all, you’re still the human that runs the machine.
Good luck with your upcoming interview!
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