Nuclear Medicine Technologist (Multi-Modality Technologist)

Job Title

Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Prepare, assay, and administer radiopharmaceutical doses by injection, inhalation or ingestion as prescribed.
• Be proficient in introducing intravenous catheters in patients for administration of radiopharmaceuticals and/or medications.
• Be knowledgeable regarding possible side effects of radiopharmaceuticals and other medications, such as Lasix and captopril, to be administered. Take immediate action to remedy any noted effects.
• Receive patients, explain procedure, answer questions relating to the procedure, position patient for all necessary views and tend to their comfort for the duration of the procedure.
• Obtain pertinent clinical data from the patient, electronic chart, requisition, and interviewing the patient and/or family.
• Move wheelchair and litter patients safely using ergonomic methods of patient transfer.
• Operate nuclear medicine equipment such as gamma cameras, PET/CT camera, well counters, GM survey meters, thyroid uptake system, and dose calibrators for various patient procedures.
• Understand and can perform and calculate exposure rates.
• Perform a full range of nuclear medicine and PET/CT diagnostic imaging, non-imaging, in-vitro and therapeutic procedures, including highly specialized computer assisted studies such as gated, tomographic, quantitative procedures.
• Operate and perform stand alone CT exams. Possess knowledge of all contraindications for performing CT exams.
• Keep up to date with new imaging agents, procedures and methods. Write and develop new imaging protocols for use in department.
• Analyze procedure images for quality. Obtain additional images when necessary.
• Knowledgeable in three-dimensional anatomy.
• Correctly administer radioactive pharmaceuticals to patients. Utilizes necessary quality management methods of patient identification such as using two unique identifiers and using active rather than passive identification.
• Perform radionuclide therapy in collaboration with a nuclear medicine physician. Including but not limited to Ra-223, Lu-177, 1-131 and 1-123. Receive and assay prescribed therapeutic doses. Fill out appropriate forms and administer dose with the department nuclear medicine physician. Instruct patient, family and nursing staff in radiation safety precautions. Perform radiation surveys, post appropriate caution signs, distribute personnel monitoring devices as required, analyze personal monitoring results, and recommend corrective action, if needed. Properly monitor and store any radioactive waste for disposal.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of personnel requiring film badges. Read and understand the film badge exposure report. Determine exposure patterns, analyze instances of increased radiation exposure levels and recommend actions to reduce exposure levels to public, radiation workers and self.
• Demonstrates the ability to properly document excessive radiation exposure.
• Prepare studies for department Radiologists interpretation by ensuring completeness of all forms involved in the procedure. Record appropriate data and related information on the proper patient worksheet and images.
• Facilitate the scheduling of patient procedures, taking into consideration camera availability, scan length, patient condition, the need for multiple nuclear medicine studies, other clinic appointments of the patient, contraindications for the test and urgency of the request. Inform patient of all pertinent preparations for his/her scan, i.e. NPO, follow certain diet, bowel prep, etc.
• Perform required technical procedures for safe receipt, handling, transport, usage and disposal of radioactive materials, assuring compliance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), National Health Physics Program (NHPP), Department of Transportation (DOT) and license conditions. Understand different precautions used based upon the various package types and possess the ability to analyze consequences of improper packaging of radioactive material and take appropriate actions.
• Understand, utilize and practice the concepts of ALARA principal; maintaining radiation exposures as low as reasonably achievable.
• Assures that all Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT, Medical Center, VISN and Radiation Safety policies are effectively followed.

Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday-Friday, 7:00a-3:30p

Telework: Not available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

US Department of Veterans Affairs