RADIOLOGIC TECHNICIANS

Job Definition:

• This unit group covers health professionals not classified elsewhere in Sub-major Group 22: Health Professionals. For instance, the group includes occupations such as podiatrist, occupational therapist, recreational therapist, chiropractor, osteopath and other professionals providing diagnostic, preventive, curative and rehabilitative health services.

Job Description:

• Maintain and use equipment and supplies necessary to demonstrate portions the human body on X-ray film or fluoroscopic screen for diagnostic purposes.

Duties and Tasks:

• 1) Use beam-restrictive devices and patient-shielding techniques to minimize radiation exposure to patient and staff.
• 2) Position x-ray equipment and adjust controls to set exposure factors, such as time and distance.
• 3) Position patient on examining table and set up and adjust equipment to obtain optimum view of specific body area as requested by physician.
• 4) Determine patients’ x-ray needs by reading requests or instructions from physicians.
• 5) Make exposures necessary for the requested procedures, rejecting and repeating work that does not meet established standards.
• 6) Process exposed radiographs using film processors or computer generated methods.
• 7) Explain procedures to patients to reduce anxieties and obtain cooperation.
• 8) Perform procedures such as linear tomography, mammography, sonograms, joint and cyst aspirations, routine contrast studies, routine fluoroscopy and examinations of the head, trunk, and extremities under supervision of physician.
• 9) Prepare and set up x-ray room for patient.
• 10) Assure that sterile supplies, contrast materials, catheters, and other required equipment are present and in working order, requisitioning materials as necessary.
• 11) Maintain records of patients examined, examinations performed, views taken, and technical factors used.
• 12) Provide assistance to physicians or other technologists in the performance of more complex procedures.
• 13) Monitor equipment operation and report malfunctioning equipment to supervisor.
• 14) Provide students and other technologists with suggestions of additional views, alternate positioning or improved techniques to ensure the images produced are of the highest quality.
• 15) Coordinate work of other technicians or technologists when procedures require more than one person.
• 16) Assist with on-the-job training of new employees and students, and provide input to supervisors regarding training performance.
• 17) Maintain a current file of examination protocols.
• 18) Operate mobile x-ray equipment in operating room, emergency room, or at patient’s bedside.
• 19) Provide assistance in radiopharmaceutical administration, monitoring patients’ vital signs and notifying the radiologist of any relevant changes.
• 20) Prepare contrast material, radiopharmaceuticals and anesthetic or antispasmodic drugs under the direction of a radiologist.
• 21) Operate digital picture archiving communications systems.

Activities:

• 1) Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• 2) Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• 3) Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• 4) Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• 5) Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• 6) Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• 7) Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• 8) Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• 9) Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• 10) Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• 11) Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• 12) Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• 13) Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• 14) Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• 15) Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• 16) Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• 17) Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• 18) Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• 19) Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• 20) Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• 21) Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• 22) Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• 23) Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Abilities:

• 1) Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• 2) Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• 3) Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• 4) Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• 5) Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• 6) Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• 7) Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• 8) Arm-Hand Steadiness — The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• 9) Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
• 10) Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• 11) Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• 12) Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• 13) Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• 14) Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
• 15) Multilimb Coordination — The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
• 16) Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• 17) Time Sharing — The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
• 18) Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Knowledge

• 1) English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• 2) Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• 3) Clerical — Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• 4) Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• 5) Medicine and Dentistry — Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures