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Ontario Society of Cardiology Technologists (O.S.C.T.)
Ontario Society of Cardiology Technologists (O.S.C.T.)
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2023 O.S.C.T. Survey Results

What is your gender identity?

What is your gender identity?

What is your gender identity?

What is your gender identity?

Choice        Totals

• Female        710

• Male        114

• non-binary/two spirit/gender fluid   0

• other 0

• prefer not to say 3


What is your current age?

What is your gender identity?

What is your gender identity?

What is your current age?

Choice           Totals

• 19-24   59

• 25-34   257

• 35-44   223

• 45-54   163

• 55-64   101

• >65           15

• prefer not to say 9


Are you a visible minority?

What is your gender identity?

What is your highest level of education?

Choice       Totals

• Yes       199

• No        552

• prefer not to say 76


What is your highest level of education?

What RCT exam did you write to become certified?

What is your highest level of education?

Choice                    Totals

• College certificate   70

• College Diploma   413

• Associates’ degree   4

• Undergraduate degree 203

• Graduate degree   120

• prefer not to say   17


At what age did you become an RCT?

What RCT exam did you write to become certified?

What RCT exam did you write to become certified?

Choice                              Totals

• 19-24                               342

• 25-34                               260

• 35-44                               172

• 45-54                               38

• 55-64                               4

•    >65                                 0

• prefer not to say           11


What RCT exam did you write to become certified?

What RCT exam did you write to become certified?

What RCT exam did you write to become certified?

Choice                               Totals

• CTAO                                            64

• OSCAP                                    5

• CSCT                                           751

• CCI                                      0

• Other                                       7


What educational Institution did you attend for RCT training?

What educational Institution did you attend for RCT training?

What educational Institution did you attend for RCT training?

Choice                                 Totals

 • Mohawk College                359

• St. Clair College                 77

• Anderson College              81

• Everest/CDI                       179

• Algonquin College             17

• On the job training             21    

  •     Other                                  93

What is your hourly pay range?

What educational Institution did you attend for RCT training?

What educational Institution did you attend for RCT training?

Choice                       Totals

• $15.50-$20.50/hr 23

• $21.00-$24.00/hr 17

• $24.50-$28.50/hr 137

• $29.00-$32.00/hr 212

• $32.50-$35.50/hr 199

• $36.00-$39.00/hr 122

• >$40.00/hr               63

• prefer not to say         54

The National median is $27.07

What is your current employment status?

What educational Institution did you attend for RCT training?

Did your employment status change after the height of the COVID pandemic?

Choice                                Totals

• Full-time                                   536

• Part-time                                  193

• Casual                                      34

• Looking for employment                 13

  • No longer employed in the field  27
  • prefer not to say                       24


Did your employment status change after the height of the COVID pandemic?

Did your employment status change after the height of the COVID pandemic?

Did your employment status change after the height of the COVID pandemic?

Choice                           Totals

• No                                        695

  •   Yes                                              134 


What is the main setting of your employment?

Did your employment status change after the height of the COVID pandemic?

What are your main functions in your current role?

Choice                             Totals

•  Hospital                             472

• Large clinic (i.e., MyHealth/KMH) 170

•  Remote                             42

• Private practice clinic     209


What are your main functions in your current role?

Did your employment status change after the height of the COVID pandemic?

What are your main functions in your current role?

Choice                                   Totals

• ECG testing - Outpatient     560

• ECG testing - Inpatient    382

• Holter Scanning - Remote  163

• Holter scanning - On site     481

• Stress testing                     626

• Nuclear stress testing 328

• Phlebotomy                          74

• Cath/EP lab                           29

•  Implantable cardiac device interrogation & programming                                     89     

• Implantable cardiac device - Implant assist 40

• Teaching                              149

• Supervisor/Manager      77

• Other                                     118

2023 O.S.C.T. Survey Results

During the pandemic I…

Do you regularly attend the OSCT (Ontario) AGM (held in May)? If not, why?

How did you feel while working in healthcare through the COVID pandemic?

Choice                                                                      Totals

• Was employed as an RCT in my original unit/department 565

• Was seconded/sent to a different unit or institution                   73

• Was furloughed/laid off                                                                               56

• Left the field                                                                                                       11

• Went back to school                                                                                     60

• Prefer not to say                                                                                          33

• Other                                                                                                                 138


How did you feel while working in healthcare through the COVID pandemic?

Do you regularly attend the OSCT (Ontario) AGM (held in May)? If not, why?

How did you feel while working in healthcare through the COVID pandemic?

Choice                                                     Totals

 • Valued within healthcare as an important team member                                               289

• Unsure of my value within healthcare  193

• Devalued within healthcare                       186

• Excited to work                                              46

•  Anxious about working                              304

• Didn't feel any different                                125

• That I wanted to move to another career  111

• Other                                                                           82


Do you regularly attend the OSCT (Ontario) AGM (held in May)? If not, why?

Do you regularly attend the OSCT (Ontario) AGM (held in May)? If not, why?

Do you regularly attend the CSCT (Canadian) AGM (held in October)? If not, why?

Choice                            Totals

• Yes                              319

• No                              508



Do you regularly attend the CSCT (Canadian) AGM (held in October)? If not, why?

Do you regularly attend the CSCT (Canadian) AGM (held in October)? If not, why?

Do you regularly attend the CSCT (Canadian) AGM (held in October)? If not, why?

Choice                   Totals

• Yes                   146

• No                            681


Preferred AGM and Education Day delivery

Do you regularly attend the CSCT (Canadian) AGM (held in October)? If not, why?

As an RCT in Ontario, what is the most important goal for you professionally?

Choice                                          Totals

• Hybrid (   in-person or virtual) - one day 530

• In-person only - one day                                        62

•  Virtual only - one day                                        239

•  Hybrid (in-person or virtual) - two days  180

• In-person only - two days                                      11

•  Virtual only - two days                                      72


As an RCT in Ontario, what is the most important goal for you professionally?

Do you regularly attend the CSCT (Canadian) AGM (held in October)? If not, why?

As an RCT in Ontario, what is the most important goal for you professionally?

Choice                                  Totals

• Regulation/legislation with the Ontario government (Protected job title)             664

• More visibility within healthcare          439

• More educational opportunities            344

• More opportunities for professional advancement                                                      486

• Other                                                                  37

I would be in favor of RCT’s becoming regulated/legislated within Ontario:

The CSCT CEU Standards and process changed January,2023. Please select the response that best

The CSCT CEU Standards and process changed January,2023. Please select the response that best

Choice                                        Totals

• Yes                                          695

• No                                               8

• I need more information      113

• Other                                       11


The CSCT CEU Standards and process changed January,2023. Please select the response that best

The CSCT CEU Standards and process changed January,2023. Please select the response that best

The CSCT CEU Standards and process changed January,2023. Please select the response that best

Choice                                  Totals

• I like the change from 3 years to 1 to collect CEUs                                                                            170

  • I neither like or dislike the change 223
  • I don't like the change from 3 years to 1 to collect CEUs                                     369

• I wasn't aware it had changed                          9

• Other/comment                                                57

How do you prefer to acquire your CEU’s?

The CSCT CEU Standards and process changed January,2023. Please select the response that best

If planning on attending the OSCT AGM Day 2023, which method are you likely to Choose?

Choice                                          Totals

• Virtually                                             734

• At work (rounds/student preceptorship etc.) 503 

• At in person meetings and conferences       303

• Other                                                       44


If planning on attending the OSCT AGM Day 2023, which method are you likely to Choose?

If planning on attending the OSCT AGM Day 2023, which method are you likely to Choose?

If planning on attending the OSCT AGM Day 2023, which method are you likely to Choose?

     

Choice                                            Totals

 

• In-person                                     109

 

• Virtually                                         558


  • Undecided                                    160

Which educational subjects would you like to see more of (CEUs)?

If planning on attending the OSCT AGM Day 2023, which method are you likely to Choose?

Which educational subjects would you like to see more of (CEUs)?

Choice                                       Totals

• ECG Interpretation                598

• Stress Testing                               519

• Holter/Loop Monitoring        468

• Nuclear Stress Testing           329

• Implantable Cardiac Devices   426

• Electrophysiology                          384

• Echocardiography                    193

• Other (please specify):              35


Do you have any questions for the OSCT Board of Directors?

If planning on attending the OSCT AGM Day 2023, which method are you likely to Choose?

Which educational subjects would you like to see more of (CEUs)?

Choice Totals

• No    725

• Yes 104



2023 Survey Questions

Sample of questions:

• What is their plan to enforce or highlight quality of technicians [technologists] when legislation is not in place. The new manager at our hospital seems to be aiming to get rid of the educational enforcement and is hiring techs with no knowledge base. It’s very sad for patient care.

• Any idea when we would be regulated? It’s been CSCT’s goal for 50 years.

• What do the CSCT do with our money? I don't currently see any benefit to being a member, other than that the hospital requires it.

• What measures has the CSCT organization done to uphold the welfare of the members?

• Why did the CEU accumulation change from 3 years to 1 year? And why was CPR taken away from obtaining CEU’s?

• Why is it taking us so long for CSCT help us to become regulated? If we were regulated, we could fight for a better wage, or a wage increase, also better job security.

• What was the reason to change the CEU accumulation from 3 years to 1 year?

• Why are they making it more difficult to get CEU'S.? The CSCT is not acting in our best interest!!   Can there be a vote for the OSCT to separate from the CSCT and we go on our own.?

• Why is the CSCT not on the same page to be regulated?

• Only Registered Technologists should be allowed to work as an ECG tech not Lab technicians. Wages should be higher, just like Lab technologists; we as technologist are paid at the most $25/hour in clinics, while lab technologists are paid $35/hour! It’s so unfair!

• My question is why our job is not well paid? There is no set hourly wage for the registered technologists. We get CEUs, we pay every year to keep our license active; but I see lots of people they get a job without getting their license and they don't  care about CEU because they got a job! Employers, they don't care. Why, because they are paying less for the same job. Ultrasound techs can not work without a license and the same applies for echo, for nuclear, and for x ray, so why is cardiac technology unlicensed in this province? I know everyone needs a job, but cardiac techs should have some standards also!

• There Should Have Been A Vote Sent Out To ALL ACTICE OSCT MEMBERS Before Implementing Such A Major Change In CEUs.

• Why did you change the CEU format to annually? What was that to prove? I attend AGM and Csct for CEUs and now I must have to wait till they were local, which rotates over the three years. I Enjoyed going in person. You have made that impossible, and not worth my time. I am Very upset with this situation especially from a body that has not managed to get regulated despite over 30 years of saying they are trying! You had my devotion and respect all these years and have now lost it.

• Can you please make sure that whatever happens we don’t have to pay more for registration?

• I would like to see changes in level of compensation for the profession that requires almost 2 years of school and being certified. It is sad I am being paid $1/hour more than janitor or phone secretary at my hospital.  For this reason, many RCTs I know leave the field and move into echo- less school, it is almost double the pay, and is regulated.

• Please re-assess these CEU changes.

• I do not feel the csct is helping us at all.  Do we need to be associated with them?

• Please allow CEUs to be carried forward even if CSCT is looking after it.


About regulation/legislation:

• Hoping to get regulated in Ontario since this field is expanding so rapidly, I would like more opportunities to achieve CEUs, as a new graduate it is sometimes difficult to navigate.

• Ontario needs to stop RTs from doing our job. So many in Ottawa do stress and Holter scanning, and they have no idea what they are doing.

• We’re just employees, I believe our focus should be acute on protecting our profession, on exposing our profession, and on increasing the opportunity to advance and create greater compensation for everyone.


About CEUs:

• It would be nice if more than 10 CEUs are acquired, that they be transferred over to the next year.

• Unhappy with new CEU standards. I will find it very hard to collect 10 each year. My hospital provides little to no learning opportunities to collect CEUs. I counted on AGM to collect most my CEUS and unhappy that they are only worth 2 now. Not worth the money or drive for only 2 in my opinion. I do like the virtual options, however, and am pleased worth that.

• “… I can appreciate that it is a very time consuming and a nonpaid job and would like to commend those who invest their spare time into improving our association.  Thanks for all you do. I will likely do the Virtual as there are less CEUS this year and the time and travel involved increase the cost factor of being there in person, however, do like getting together with other RCTs from other areas to hear their stories and gain knowledge from their experiences so have not decided which method of attendance I will choose at this point.  It would be more motivating if one could collect all their 10 CEUs from attending the actual conference as one would not have to pay for more education during the calendar year to attain the 10 /year.  

• Why was CPR taken off the CEU entitlement as it is a necessary skill to repeat yearly and 2 hours of updated education.

• I strongly believe that the ACLS etc. courses should count towards CEUs. The ACLS course teaches arrhythmias, how to externally pace a pt with bradycardia and how to save a life when someone has a cardiac arrest. Not clear why this was removed for credits.


About our profession:

• "I am proud to be part of this organization, I have grown professionally and personally and seen lots of changes.

hope to see more changes, would like to volunteer to help make these changes."

• Inpatient ECG particularly in areas that are busy (emerge) can be overwhelming at times; how many in one shift can one really be expected to do without drastically wearing down our bodies? Is there a number anyone can throw out there for a typical 8hr shift? Most hospitals don't offer part time or casual staff benefits so in my view the best way to offset the damage is to staff accordingly (as is the case in all areas of healthcare).

• Makes me feel unhappy that we are called ECG technicians at the hospital. We tried to change our title, but our management is telling us that until we are not going to be regulated in Ontario our title will not change.

• I am very excited to be in this profession, I love my career, value the knowledge I have picked up these past few years. I look forward to all the possible advancements that will come in my career with Cardiology! 

Thank you for the work you do.


FAQ'S

OSCT does not have an office or phone number listed.  How do I contact someone?

Please select the relevant Director(s) for your question from the "Contact Us" icon available on the OSCT website.  As we are all unpaid volunteers, we will do our best to email you with a response as soon as possible.


Who makes up your Board of Directors?

Members of the Board of Directors are elected OSCT members whom are in good standing with the OSCT and whom abide by the OSCT Code of Conduct.  Elections are held once a year, or as needed when a vacant position on the Board becomes available.


FAQ's continued

Q: What is the OSCT?

O.S.C.T. - (Ontario Society of Cardiology Technologists) is the Provincial governing body for Ontario members. It holds Annual General Meetings each year for all Ontario members in good standing; collects dues; administers and enforces CEUs; and holds monthly virtual meetings with its board.

Q: Why can’t members contact the board by phone? Why do emails take long to respond to?

  A: All board members are volunteers with full-time jobs, families, and other commitments. We do not receive a salary to administer to OSCT business. Most often, we do our work late at night or on weekends as time permits. We do not have a central office nor a phone line for the same reasons.

Some members suggested having a board member dedicated to communication with members, which is a great suggestion. However, in order to do that, we would need to remunerate that board member. This was done in the past, but it was underutilized and expensive. This is a matter we will discuss at a future AGM if the need is absolutely necessary.

Q: Why isn’t there a member’s area on the new OSCT website? How do we check our CEUs?

  A: In order to create an adequately secured database, and protect your personal information, Ontario has made a decision was made to remove the log in portal from OSCT sites.  

Q: Are we going to have a virtual AGM?

 A: The OSCT is working diligently to organize an virtual and in person AGM. We have approached several speakers again this year to provide content for education portion and have been successful thus far, but are seeking additional interested parties. (Think TED talks for Cardiology People) We will update all members via our website once a decision and schedule has been made 

Q: Why aren’t we regulated? When will that happen?

  A: We have been asking this question for 50+ years in Canada. The Ontario Provincial government has been approached by the OSCT, and have even hired a lobbyist, and lawyer to consult in 2022 -2023 to help guide us through this process.

We have learned that the process is long, laborious, and expensive. The OSCT board is working diligently to achieve this and have recently been approached to speak before the Provincial Government of Ontario regarding this matter. This is something to be discussed at the future AGM.

Downloads

Archival Downloads

2019 Education Schedule

2019 Inactive Dues Notice

2019 Active Dues Notice

2019 OSCT Proxy

OSCT By-Laws (2015)

OSCT CEU Submission Form 2020 v2

Letter To HPRAC

Bill-54

More files coming soon!

Copyright © 2023 Ontario Society of Cardiology Technologists (O.S.C.T.) - All Rights Reserved.

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