These requirements are necessary for admission to the program. Situations such as pulling, pushing, lifting, bending, and twisting are common everyday activities of a radiologic technologist.
On a regular basis, the following activities are basic clinical education functions. Students must be able to perform these activities for progression to the professional phase of the program.
Have sufficient strength, motor coordination, and manual dexterity to:
1. Move, manipulate, and adjust a variety of x-ray equipment, including mobile and other accessory equipment, in order to align the patient, x-ray equipment, and image receptor.
2. Carry image receptors and photostimulable phosphor plates (approximately 25 pounds) from the patient care area to the image processor.
3. Lift, move, and transport patients from wheelchairs or stretcher to the x-ray table or the patient’s bed.
4. Assist weak ambulatory patients to the restroom, dressing room, or exam room.
- Communicate effectively with patients and their families in all aspects of their care. Communicate effectively, verbally, and in writing, with physicians, staff members, and instructors.
Be capable of:
1. Standing and walking a majority of the time during assigned hours.
2. Providing physical and emotional support to the patient during radiographic procedures. Recognizing emergency situations and providing emergency care until the physician arrives.
3. Adapting to stressful situations related to technical and procedural standards and patient care situations.
Have the mental, visual, and intellectual capacity to:
1. Evaluate and critique images to identify proper patient identification, positioning, exposure factors, and technical quality.
2. Select, calculate, and manipulate exposure factors adapting to the requirements of the procedure and patient’s needs with sufficient speed and accuracy.