Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Loma Linda, California

Loma Linda, also known as Beautiful Hill, is a culturally diverse community. Citizens wanted to make sure that residents and visitors alike could enjoy the social, cultural, and economic benefits of a dynamic and diverse society. They commit to remain cohesive and ensure everyone has the opportunity to be part of the city's success. Because its population is only 21,000, Loma Linda has a decidedly cosmopolitan air. According to Loma Linda is ranked #71 of 524 for Best Suburbs for Young Professionals in California. Visitors come to the city from around the world! Some are patients, others are students, and some come to teach, heal, or perform research. Many decide to stay. Loma Linda is located approximately 60 miles east of Los Angeles in San Bernardino County. Just a freeway away from beaches, mountains, and desert resorts, this ever-growing city is about opportunity and prosperity. This magnificent setting, in the heart of the Inland Empire, is the backdrop of a city that has developed the foundation for a prosperous tomorrow. Explore Loma Linda here!

Airport Information

The closest international airport to Loma Linda is the San Bernardino International Airport, which is approximately 5 miles away! It services Breeze Airlines and supports direct flights to San Francisco, Las Vegas, Provo, and Hartford.

About the Facility Loma Linda VAMC

The Loma Linda VA Healthcare System is part of the Desert Pacific Healthcare Network. This Medical Center has served the Veterans' community for 44 years. The Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center is part of the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System. The major bed services are Medicine, Surgery, Behavioral Medicine, and Neurology, and has 150 hospital beds and a 110-bed Community Living Center. VA Loma Linda Healthcare System is one of the top 50 employers in the Inland Empire; with over 3,299 employees that serve over 76,000 Veterans who entrust their health care needs to the VA. Through the years, access to care has been improved by opening five community clinics. These are located in Corona, Murrieta, Palm Desert, Rancho Cucamonga, and Victorville.

Facility Address

11201 Benton St, Loma Linda, CA 82357

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Test blood glucose levels in patients. Respond properly to results that are outside the normal range.
• 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.
• Order and manage radiopharmaceutical doses as required for daily patient studies. Maintain adequate supplies of doses to perform patient studies without delay whenever possible. Receive patients, explain the procedure, answer questions relating to the procedure, position patients 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 interview the patient and/or family.
• Operate nuclear medicine equipment such as SPECT, SPECT/CT, and PET/CT, well counters, GM survey meters, thyroid uptake system, FDG dose injector, and dos calibrators for various patient procedures.
• Understand and perform exposure rate calculations.
• Perform a full range of nuclear medicine diagnostic imaging, non-imaging, in-vitro, and therapeutic procedures, including highly specialized computer-assisted studies such as gated, tomographic, and quantitative procedures.
• Perform and understand a range of hybrid imaging including SPECT/CT and PET/CT. Be knowledgeable in low-dose Computed Tomography aspects including KeV and MAS settings. Understand attenuation correction and anatomical landmarks as they relate to CT. Also, be attentive to CT safety and reduce the patient's dose to as low as reasonably possible.
• Analyze procedure images for quality. Obtain additional images when necessary.
• Administer radiopharmaceuticals to patients. Utilize 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 Nuclear Medicine Physician. Receive and assay prescribed therapeutic doses. Fill out appropriate forms and administer the dose with the nuclear medicine physician.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of personnel requiring film badges. Read and understand the film badge exposure report. Determine exposure patterns and recommend actions to reduce exposure levels to the public, radiation workers, and self.
• Prepare studies for nuclear medicine physician's interpretation by ensuring completeness of all forms (i.e. dose and initiating each study) involved in the procedure. Record appropriate data and related information on the proper patient worksheet and images.
• Schedule 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 the patient of all pertinent preparations for his/her scan, i.e. NPO, following a certain diet, bowl prep, etc. Adjusting the schedule to prevent over-booking and to prevent extended patient wait times.
• Perform required technical procedures for the safe receipt, handling, transport, usage, and disposal of radioactive materials, assuring compliance with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, National Health Physics Program, Department of Transportation, and license conditions.

Requirements

• Certification: Must be board-certified in Nuclear Medicine Technology by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT).
• Education: Must have completion of an NMTCB-recognized nuclear medicine technology program, OR
  • Completion of a nuclear medicine technology program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT), or other accrediting agencies as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, culminating in a certificate, associate, baccalaureate, or master's degree. Education programs must have structured clinical training sufficient to provide clinical competency in radiation safety, instrumentation, clinical procedures, and radio-pharmacy, as deemed acceptable by the NMTCB.
• Experience: Must have one year minimum of experience as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist.