Of course a strong technical skill set is a given - so we are not counting that for 1 of the 5.
But what else is needed?
Patience
Not all our patients are cooperative for the procedure. This can particularly be found when working with the pediatric population. So persistence and patience are a necessary characteristic to have. Also, many patients can have multiple additional complications that require us to pause and modify our procedure to best meet their needs.
Compassion
A caring and thoughtful approach is required of anyone that chooses healthcare for their career. For us the procedure can become repetitive and routine but for the patient it is not - meeting them where they are is essential.
Diligence
Careful and persistent effort is expected; particularly in the more critical environments like the ICU or OR settings. Our physicians are counting on us to perform a high quality recording and often challenges require detailed troubleshooting to maintain that level.
Teamwork
Be an effective team member. We all are a part of this collaborative effort to achieve a common goal: delivering good patient care.
Ambition
Striving to learn and expand our skill sets encourages personal growth and in turn leads to growth within your organization. Challenging your brain to stay sharp can mitigate falling into routines and in turn these new experiences can help ground us. Whether watching a webinar about a topic you’re interested in or opting for educational posts as found on this site, intentionally stretching our limits will continually encourage learning along with a career we are proud of.
Roya Tompkins, MS, R.EEG/EP T, RPSGT