Should Radiologic Technologists Use X-Rays?

To the contrary of this belief, by allowing untrained professional to administer radiation without the proper licensure or training not only will this result in unsafe practices, but it will also allow for greater permissible error without having to take accountability for their

The article Radiation Protection of Medical Staff1 looks at the various occupational hazards medical imaging personnel face on a day to day basis. As technology has improved over the years, there has been an increase in the number of medical imaging procedures in which medical imaging staff must stay in the room or near the patient when the radiation exposure takes place. Because of this, medical imaging personnel could be at a substantial risk of occupational exposure to radiation and they must be aware of the proper actions and steps that are in place to keep their occupational exposure dose as low as reasonably achievable.

The quality of medical imaging is of the utmost importance in terms of safety, and must be strictly regulated through federal legislature in addition to state legislature, ensuring the persons administering radiation are held to the highest of standards. Successfully completing accredited programs in radiologic sciences, having thorough knowledge of and resolute compliance with the rules of ethics, as well as achieving certification through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (A.R.R.T.) by means of examination warrants an imaging professional with the tools necessary to provide and maintain a safe environment for themselves and their patients alike. Respectively, all of these components contribute to a health care professional’s

Although Radiologic Technologist (R.T.’s) are most likely known as just someone who takes x-rays they do much more than that. They are responsible for setting up the x-ray equipment along with positioning a patient anatomically correct in order to take the x-rays. All while explaining the procedure to the patient (Duke University 2015). If that is not enough, they are also supposed to make sure that the correct patient is the one being examined beforehand. During the examination, if a patient is connected to an IV or a breathing device they are also supposed to make sure that it is operating properly. Making sure that a patient is comfortable, safe, and modest. So if anything where to happen R.T’s are ready to handle any medical emergency. Most importantly R.T’s are responsible for the images they are taking making sure the quality is nice and clear. The job of the Radiologic Technologist is not over when they are done with caring for a

I agree with you that doses are very small. I see your point of caring for the patient and not necessarily use a lead shield. However, remember the rules of personal protection: Time, Dose and Distance. If you have a procedure that might take you an hour and you will spend it with a patient, you will be exposed to a higher dose of radiation. I would think that in this particular example, we should use a lead shield, because we want to minimize/ decrease our annual dose of radiation exposure. If we will neglect all the safety rules, we might be in trouble. You always wear your seat belt while driving, right? It will increase your chance of survival during a car accident. Some people neglect to do that, like my husband, and his risk of being

Professionalism is at the cornerstone of a radiographers practice. It ensures a patient can entrust skills and competence of the professional. The Australian Institute of Radiography list what radiographer should demonstrate in an fluoroscopic interaction. Highlighted is the need for expertise in infection control, setting parameters for screening, exposure factor comprehension, being a team member and being “mindful of… radiation protection” (Radiography, 2013). Being aware of the radiation exposed to the patient and team members is essential in practice. The governing body that regulates ionizing radiation is ARPANSA, Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safty Agency. They cite the “ALARA” priciple as the phiosophy for preventing radation to the patient. That is to keep dose As Low as Reasonably Archiveable (Protection, 2011). This can be achieved practically

"So why get registered? Let 's take for an example of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. They were not fully aware of how much radiation their brain scans were giving off and doctor 's were astonished by what they discovered. "The overdose was discovered when a patient reported lost patches of hair following a CT scan. The error remained unchecked for 18 months, involved more than 200 people, and exacerbated existing concerns that patients nationwide are being exposed to excess radiation during medical testing. Diagnostic imaging tests have increased Americans ' average radiation exposure seven times since 1980. Increased exposure leads to increased cancer risk although they claim that no one suffered any long-term damage from their overexposure at Cedars-Sinai, there’s no guarantee that this is the case. Some of the more than 200 patients affected received twice as much radiation as the average cancer patient would receive in one treatment, and these people did not have cancer cells to eradicate. And it’s already known that increased exposure to radiation increases your cancer risk. In fact, according to John Gofman, MD, PhD, there is strong evidence that 50 percent of the death rate from cancer, and 60 percent of the death rate from ischemic heart disease today are induced by ionizing radiation treatments. The concept of x-ray-induced cases means “cases that would not exist were it not for exposure to x-rays.”

In the medical field, basic patient care is something that should be practiced every day. In hospitals and clinics around the United States, one will find groups of people who have undergone years of training and are there to hopefully provide the best patient care they can. Yet every day thousands of practitioners seem to have forgotten the basics of not only protecting patients but themselves as well. More specifically, in the field of radiology, it seems that one of the basics of patient and technologist protections, shielding, has become second place, and used in a manner that deviates from its intended purpose. After witnessing many misuses and even no use

I need to understand the detrimental danger involved in taking an x-ray. X-rays are just another form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays are very similar to microwaves, radio waves and infrared radiations but x-rays are far more active compared to these other radiations. They penetrate many materials to varying degrees. Electrons with high energy crash into the target to produce x-rays. X-rays are transmitted through a subject onto a photographic film. The x-rays are blocked by bone and other solid objects casting a shadow onto the film. X-rays are used for a variety of things like; a x-ray could check for fractured or broken bones, scanning luggage at an airport, examining teeth and to see something in the body that could have potentially be swallowed.

In my opinion, the responsibilities and duties of a Radiologic Technologist is to accurately position patients for examination, know the protocols necessary, know radiation guidelines and provide best possible patient care. Some attributes that are necessary for the job is attention to detail because its necessary to get the best possible diagnoses for the patient by getting the right image of the injured body part. Empathy because the patients need to feel comfortable, because the patient will most likely be in pain or scared and you have to be understanding and be sympathetic toward them. Willingness to listen and to learn because Im not going to know everything and I need to know what to do for rare cases and be willing to listen to those

They can play crucial part in determining what can be wrong with a patient. The first X-ray was discovered in 1985 by Wilhelm Roentgen, a German scientist (Cite-radiology history). X-rays are described as “electromagnetic energy waves that act similarly to light rays, but at wavelengths approximately 1,000 times shorter than those of list” (German scientist discovers x-rays). The first X-ray was in use during the Balkan war. During this time in 1897, they used the X-ray to determine if there were any bullets in the soldiers, or to find if they had any broken bones. Although the X-ray was found very helpful, scientist later started to discover the effects that the radiation could have on the patient. The event that caused the entire scientist community to raise concern. They realized that the effects of X-ray could cause patients to end up with burns and possibly cancer. After several reports of burns and the death of Clarence Dally (due to cancer form working with X-ray), these events raised concern for many. Scientist and doctors became aware of the risk X-rays imposes, and started to take precautions to protect them and the patients. Thanks to this discovery, many patients and x-ray technicians now are required to wear lead aprons. These aprons help protect against the radiation x-rays give off. The technician also have to wear a dosimeter. A dosimeter measures the amount of radiation the technician receives while

Asquyres. “The Future of X-Ray Tech Jobs.” The College of Health Care Professions. Alumni Employers, 06 Dec. 2012. Web. 09 Nov. 2014.

The effects of radiation can be hazardous to any part of the human body. In this guide I will explain the advantages, and disadvantages of x-ray radiation. I will also discuss the technological advances that we have today then of what we had the past on the human body during radiation exposure. I will explain preventions of exposure and safety precautions that we as dental assistants as well as patients can follow to stay safe.

In the x-ray theatre enclosed shoes were worn at all times, we also stood behind lead lined glass when taking the images to ensure the lowest unnecessary exposure to radiation. Along with this, radiation signs were turned on above the doors outside whilst in the lab was in use alerting other people using the rooms that radiation was in use. These safety procedures are extremely important in the lab as we are exposed to large amounts of radiation during our time as radiographers.

With this stability and mass production, x-rays machines became very common everywhere. From large factories, to doctors offices, all the way to the corner store of small towns, where children and adults alike could insert a coin into a machine and view the bones in their feet. (3.) Because of their relative adolescences in the world, not much was known about x-rays or their effects on the human body. The first theories about the rays’ effects on the human body were that they had beneficial applications. With this being the only theory about their effect, widespread use went on, unmonitored, and unregulated. This unregulated use led to injuries but because of their slow onset the injuries were never attributed to x-rays. While some scientists tied certain skin burns to over exposure of x-rays it wasn’t until popular minds of the world like Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla and William J. Morton expressed that they experienced eye pain when dealing with the rays for extended periods of time that people began to connect the dots and understand the negative