| Job Duties:
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- Receive patients and explain procedures, providing appropriate care and communicate to alleviate fear of examination.
- Correctly position the patient for the examination and perform adjustments necessary for the required examination. Determine if any special patient preparation is required.
- Operate facility provided nuclear medicine equipment according to MTF policy and procedures, and IAW JC guidelines.
- Perform a full range of Nuclear Medicine examinations following MTF protocol and IAW JC guidelines, including PET and PET/CT.
- Receive and interpret requests or instruction for Nuclear Medicine diagnostic test and procedures.
- Perform daily warm up and assigned quality control checks of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment.
- Identify abnormalities during testing and determine need for additional scans of affected area. Notify physician of significant scans requiring immediate attention.
- Maintain and clean equipment on a regular basis in accordance with MTF policy and procedures, and IAW JC guidelines.
- Stock and maintain an adequate level of supplies required to perform examinations. Recommend necessary monthly repairs when diagnostic quality is degraded.
- Differentiate artifacts from normal or pathological processes and recognize electronic equipment limitations.
- Program the examination equipment. Set up the machine and scanning techniques to be employed.
- Comply with the requirements of the Navy's radiation monitoring program as described in NAVMED P5055, the Radiation Protection Manual. The Radiation Safety division will supply the health care worker with a personal dosimeter and the worker will be enrolled in the command radiation protection program. The health care worker will be notified of their annual radiation exposure levels and anytime their exposure exceeds ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) levels.
- Explain procedures to the patient and provide humane and appropriate care and communication to alleviate the patient's fear of examination and correctly position the patient for examination.
- Recognize the need for and institute the necessary emergency measures for situations where a person requires resuscitation procedures due to cardiac or respiratory arrest.
- Prepare, reconstitute and administer pharmaceutical adjuncts to nuclear medicine procedures as prescribed by the Radiologist.
- Prepare stock solutions of radiopharmaceutical materials, calculates doses, and administers doses, under direction of a Physician.
- Perform all nuclear medicine tests scheduling procedures including, contacting patients, ordering Physicians, reviewing study for appropriateness, reviewing patient's medications, instructing patient on necessary preparations for the requested procedure, consulting with the ordering Physician and Radiologist in the event of incorrect orders.
- Perform Nuclear Medicine stress testing in accordance with the MTF procedure manual and current guidelines, including setting up the treadmill equipment, performing advanced EKG testing and blood pressure measurement during the stress test, placing intravenous catheters, and administering common pharmaceuticals in adjunct to the stress testing while under the direct supervision of a Physician.
- Perform unscheduled procedures as declared by the requesting Physician within one hour.
- Measure radioactivity, using Geiger counters, scalers, and scintillation detectors.
- Adhere to infection control guidelines and practice universal precautions.
- Document all procedures and maintain records in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual for the department.
- Assist in coordinating schedules, daily logs, and data submission for monthly reports.
- Perform limited administrative duties associated with the maintenance of records for a hospital-based radiation safety program.
- Direct the flow of patients: obtain patient medical and personal data, and arrange for laboratory and other tests, outpatient studies, and patient admissions and surgery as requested by the Physician.
- Alleviate patient and family concerns by explaining diagnostic procedures and referring specific questions to the Physician.
- Screen walk-in patients, emergency patients, and telephone calls from patients and referring
- Physicians to determine appropriate Physician and priority of appointments.
- Participate in the MTF Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS) for digital imaging and perform quality control procedures as applicable.
- Perform inventory of assigned examination rooms to ensure adequate supplies are in stock. This shall be coordinated with the supply officer to ensure all supply requests are met.
- Be responsible for the safe and effective operation of equipment used in patient care and contribute to a safe working environment. This shall include the safe practice of emergency procedures, proper handling of hazardous materials, and maintenance of physical security.
- Calibrate equipment and perform quality control testing to identify malfunctions or equipment errors.
- Perform technical duties as appropriate including, aiding in the evaluation and procurement of
- imaging equipment and software.
- Perform inspection and preparation of instruments, materials, and equipment to ensure that they are clean and in proper working condition.
- Follow radiation safety techniques in use, receipt, and disposal of radioactive materials.
- Perform Quality Assurance checks of the equipment on a daily basis to ensure that the scanners are functioning properly in accordance with the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) SOP.
- Operate the following equipment: Siemens E. Cam, Siemens Biograph mCT series PET/CT scanner, Elekta VectorView™ whole-head MEG system, Biodex Thyroid Probe and Quinton Q-stress Treadmill.
- NICoE/WRNMMC will schedule patients for examinations. The HCWs shall schedule any additional patients presenting to the department who have not been scheduled through the facility appointment system. Evaluate the nature of critical and emergency procedures and determines patient priorities to accommodate them. Maintain records of patients treated, examinations performed, scans taken, etc.
- Maintain permanent records of scans in tape library.
- Assists developing and formulating new imaging techniques for the National Intrepid Center of
- Excellence required by the Research Department and collaborators.
- Perform patient archiving and printing, to include hardcopy radiographs or required images at the correct window and level settings.
- Process the images and file in correct file folder and retrieve file jackets in the film archives as necessary. Archiving responsibilities include: transferring the required image of information to the established long-term storage device and printing those images for each patient as required by SOP manual or as directed by the imaging physician.
- Maintain radiation dosimetry badges and associated records within the department.
- Transfer PET and CT images to research archival media under the direction of department computer technology personnel.
- Maintain MSDS and safety records for substances within the Nuclear Medicine facility, and at the discretion of the supervisor, for other associated facilities.
- Ensure compliance with standard of care and practice in accordance with all established policies, procedures, and guidelines used in the medical treatment MTF and IAW JC guidelines. Provides care within ethical and legal boundaries.
- Complete orientation and competency verification programs in accordance with unit guidelines.
- When assigned, will serve and participate in committees, functions and other meetings. Provide relevant and timely information and assists with decision-making and process improvement.
- Reports to Designated Research Service Chief or Department Chief.
- Also, may serve as preceptor for Nuclear Medicine Technologist preceptorship programs.
- As required, participate in customer service initiatives and medical readiness activities, designed to enhance health services.
- Perform a full range of nuclear medicine technologist procedures.
- Prepare, measure, and administer radiopharmaceuticals in diagnostic and therapeutic studies, utilizing a variety of equipment and following prescribed procedures.
- Operate cameras that detect and map the radioactive drug in the patient's body to create an image on photographic film or a computer monitor.
- Administer therapeutic doses of radiopharmaceuticals under direction of physician.
- Perform radioimmunoassay studies that assess the behavior of a radioactive substance inside the body, such as adding radioactive substances to blood or serum to determine levels of hormones or therapeutic drug content. Maintain patient records and record the amount and type of radionuclides received, used, and disposed of.
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| Job Qualifications:
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- Must be a US Citizen
- Be able to read, write, speak and understand English well enough to effectively communicate with all patients and other health care providers.
- Be knowledgeable of equipment and supply terminology and skill sufficient to identify and use necessary equipment and supplies properly and to communicate proper use with nurses, medical staff, patients, and family members.
- Knowledge of computer operations and proficiency in the use of basic word processing, data entry and automated medical records.
Education: - Graduate from a 4-year Bachelor's degree program in Radiological Science from a certified program.
- Continuing education: current good status with accrediting body from continuing education credits.
Certifications/Licensure: - Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Valid unrestricted license in at least 1 state, territory, or commonwealth of the US
- Nuclear Medicine Technologist Certification Board (NMTCB)
- American Registry of Radiological Technologists (ARRT) License
Experience: - 3-5 years of experience as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist
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