Intro to Radtech - PLT College

Radiography

- is a specialty within the field of radiologic technology.

Radiographers, medical imaging professionals

professionals working in this field who use x-rays and digital image receptors to acquire diagnostic images.

patient as our guest

1. Interact with the patient.
2. Establish and maintain an atmosphere of caring and empathy for the patient.
3. Treat the patient as a guest in a home.

Institutional accreditation

seeks to assess the overall quality and integrity of an institution. Most colleges that sponsor radiologic sciences programs are accredited by one of several regional or national (institutional) accrediting agencies.

Specialized accreditation, or programmatic accreditation

seeks to address educational endeavors at the program level.

JRCERT

The Joint Review Committee
on Education in Radiologic Technology

JRCERT

approved to evaluate
the quality and integrity of individual radiologic technology programs.

TJC

The Joint Commission

TJC

most health care institutions (hospitals and clinics) are accredited

ASRT

Committee of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists

Accreditation

a process of external quality control. Through a process of
peer review, a nongovernmental agency attests to the adequacy of an institution or program in meeting established standards.

Introduction to Radiography

designed to introduce students to the basic aspects of the department of imaging, radiologic technology, and the health care system in general. The basic principles of radiation protection are introduced.

Clinical Education

Sometimes also called “clinical internship,” this course places the student in a clinical setting in order to practice patient care, radiographic positioning, and participation in radiographic procedures.
This course includes clinical competency and affective behavior evaluations. Most clinical sites use this time to evaluate students for possible hire upon graduation.

Medical Ethics and Law

This course helps students understand how to deal with confidential information and the interpersonal relationships, or interaction, with patients and other health care team members. In addition, attention is given to medicolegal considerations, as well as to professional guidelines and codes of ethics.

Principles of Diagnostic Imaging

This course introduces students to digital image acquisition. These images result from the fluoroscopic and radiographic application of the principles of image production. Students are expected to comprehend and apply the principles in the lab and clinical settings.

Imaging Equipment

This course describes the x-ray circuit, x-ray tube, and the process of x-ray production.
Handling machineries

Human Structure and Function

This course refers to the anatomy and physiology of the human body. For a radiologic technologist to conduct radiologic procedures on various anatomic parts, knowing the location and function of all body parts is necessary.

Medical Terminology

The written and spoken language of medicine incorporates many uncommon words, meanings, and symbols. For a radiologic technologist to work effectively in radiology, understanding the language of medicine is also necessary.

Radiographic Positioning and Procedures

Every radiology department has a routine for performing procedures specific to that particular department. These procedures range from normal radiographic imaging to more complex tasks requiring contrast media, special radiographic equipment, and accessory materials.

Principles of Radiation Biology and Radiation Protection

The technologist must know how to use ionizing radiation in a safe and prudent manner. Patients, as well as radiologic technologists and coworkers, must be protected from radiation as much as possible. Therefore radiologic technologists must know how exposure factors affect radiation doses, the effective dose limits, and the methods for monitoring exposure. The objective is to practice the as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) concept in diagnostic radiography.

ALARA

as low as reasonably achievable

Radiographic Image Evaluation

This course integrates all of the material previously learned. Although radiographers do not interpret radiographs, they evaluate them for diagnostic quality, which includes the consideration of pathologic conditions.

Pathology

Students need to be acquainted with the various disease conditions that may affect the resulting radiographic images. In addition, knowledge of disease entities is helpful in working with patients.

Patient Care

The radiographer prepares to work with patients, regardless of their health conditions, in a manner that does not cause them additional injury or discomfort or hinder their recovery.

Quality Assurance

Optimal quality radiographs achieve many important benefits.
1. minimize the patient’s exposure to radiation
2. provide the physician with the best possible image for diagnosis
3. contain health care costs.
Students must know the regulations that govern quality assurance, as well as the techniques, equipment, and procedures for attaining it.

Phantoms

This helps students to learn proper anatomic positioning and exposure techniques.

Clinical participation

The integration of the cognitive, affective, and Psychomotor aspects of radiologic technology education.

Cognitive learning

refers to classroom lectures and demonstrations of theories, as well as to the facts and background information necessary to understand a specific body of knowledge. After this fundamental information has been learned, the student has the opportunity to participate in the clinical setting, where each student has the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained from the classroom setting.

Affective learning

involves attitudes, values, and feelings. The clinical environment provides the opportunity to develop pride in your work, as well as feelings of self-worth; skills in interpersonal relationships; and personal, moral, and ethical beliefs for daily practice.

Psychomotor learning

is the actual hands-on phase—the application of previously learned material. Didactic information is put to actual use in the clinical situation.

passive participation

Assists the practicing radiologic technologist and observes each detail of the radiographic procedure. This involvement is considered _________________ because the student is observing.

independent clinical performance

This involvement means that the student will perform all aspects of the procedure with appropriate supervision of a registered technologist.

clinical competency evaluation

is a method of standardizing the evaluation of a student radiographer’s performance in the clinical setting.
Typically, the three specific aspects of learning are addressed in this evaluation of performance: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor.