Patient care week 10

The final exam opens on Friday, June 6th, and is due on June 16th.
There are 56 questions on the final.
Grades must be finalized by June 20th.
There will be a two-week break until July 7th after grades are locked.
To access the final, students must complete evaluations for the instructor and Megan

Only the discussion form for week 10 is due on Monday.
Cultural assignment: A PDF outlining the assignment is available. Students should ensure all requirements are met to avoid point deductions.
Quiz 10 is canceled, but the cultural assignment will be worth more points, equivalent to an assignment and a quiz.
The cultural assignment is due on the 16th, with the final giving students 10 days to complete it.
The goal of the cultural assignment is to encourage consideration of different cultures and their relation to healthcare, fostering empathy and improving patient communication.
APA format must be used for citations in this assignment

On June 13th, there will be a review class with mock ARRT-style patient care questions using a game format (quizzes, similar to Kahoot).
Topics from the slides will be covered in the quizzes, as well as anything from lecture.
Clinical issues and their resolution will also be discussed.

CT involves an X-ray tube and detector spinning around the patient, shooting X-rays through the body.
If the X-ray photon is stopped inside the body, a white spot appears on the X-ray film; if it strikes the detector, a black spot appears
CT scans produce only axial (transverse) images; sagittal and coronal images are reconstructed by computers
AI is being integrated to lower ionizing radiation doses in CT scans

Ultrasound uses sound waves that bounce back to a transducer to create images
Phones are being developed into ultrasound machines with small transducers.
Ultrasound is being used in areas with limited healthcare access
RAD-Aid is an international organization that helps with healthcare, and students can volunteer for service or sabbatical opportunities.
Applications of ultrasound include obstetrics, Doppler for veins, and echocardiograms for the heart
Ultrasound techs earn high incomes due to multiple required certifications (OB, vascular, cardiac, and general).
MRI is considering separate certifications for functional MRI (fMRI) and cardiac MRI

Mammography involves X-rays of the breast
MRI and mammography have an interchangeable relationship, with breast MRI potentially becoming a routine procedure due to rising breast cancer cases.
It is foreseen that there will be dedicated centers for breast MRI and mammography
Breast biopsies require extra training and close collaboration between technologists and radiologists

Interventional radiology (IR) uses live X-ray or CT to thread instruments into arteries for procedures like thrombectomies and placing catheters or ports.
Radiology Physician Assistants (RPAs) are involved in cath labs, and the ACR has recognized RPA as a higher license

Nuclear medicine (Nuke Med) has been changing slowly compared to other modalities
AI is being integrated into various modalities, and mobile units are being developed for mammography, ultrasound, and CT.
Efforts are underway to create a mobile MRI machine, though it would likely have a low field strength and limited applications

Nuclear medicine involves injecting a live radioactive drug into the body, with a gamma detector assessing radiation emission to create an image
It produces a function of a structure, such as assessing brain activity after anoxic brain injury

It is critical to understand that while explaining procedures and the procedures surrounding them is acceptable, technologists should not advise doctors on which studies to order over another
Advising doctors on specific tests is beyond the scope of practice for technologists and constitutes practicing medicine without a license
Be careful when answering ARRT questions regarding scope of practice

The American healthcare system is continually evolving
Understanding the roles of physicians, technologists, and credentialing is essential

Physicians, nurse practitioners, PAs, and RAs practice medicine, ordering medications, exams, restraints, and oxygen, and oversee patient treatment
Technologists and staff are employed by the clinic or hospital, forming an organization with an executive board, administration, and departments (diagnostic, nutrition, housekeeping, ICUs, etc.). The administration oversees these departments
Physicians require credentialing to practice within a clinic or hospital and oversee activities, but administration has direct authority over technologists
Radiology departments mirror this structure, with radiologists, managers, and divisions for different imaging modalities

American Society of Radiological Technologists (ASRT): Tracks credits, provides updated imaging information, and contributes to regulations
American College of Radiology: Develops standards and regulations for MRI, working closely with ASRT
International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT): International counterpart to ASRT, providing global updates
These societies help define practices and ensure up-to-date technical activities, credentialing, licensing, and certifications. These organizations allow an opportunity to provide input via survey, etc.

ARRT creates tests for MRI technologists. Some individual states (ex: California) may have their own certifying bodies that must be reviewed for their acceptance in the absence of an ARRT license
Continuing education requires 24 credits every two years.
The ARRT test must be retaken after 10 years; failure may require more credits or CEs for recertification.
Never let professional licenses expire, as reinstatement can be difficult

The Joint Commission accredits hospitals and clinics.
Hospitals being reviewed will sometimes ask students to avoid contact with people doing the hospital review.