A Perfect Storm Leads to Career Opportunities in the Medical Imaging Sciences

280,000 Registered Technologists

212,000 Radiographers 44,000 Mammographers 20,000 CT Technologists 12,000 MR Technologists

Hospital Vacancy Rates Reported January 2002 Radiologic Technologists15.3% Registered Nurses13.0% Pharmacists12.7%

The Perfect Storm

1.Increasing number of exams. 2.Aging American population. 3.Aging R.T. population. 4.Fewer people entering profession. The Perfect Storm

SupplyDemand Aging R.T. population Fewer recruits into profession Aging patient population Increasing number of examinations

Baby Boom Generation Consists of 78 million Americans currently between the ages of 38 and 56. Will cause number of hospital visits to increase 48% by 2020.

1960s 36 procedures per 100 people. 1990s 130 procedures per 100 people.

Today 350 million total exams 85 million on people 65 or older

Today In 20 Years 500 million 206 million on people 65 or older 350 million 85 million total exams

By 2010: 75,000 more radiographers 16,000 more sonographers 8,000 more nuclear medicine technologists 7,000 more radiation therapists

New Certificants in Radiography Certificants 10,629 10,330 9,427 8,691 8,146 7,595 7,149 7,434 Year

Year Programs Number of Educational Programs in Radiation Therapy

Certificants 1, Year New Certificants in Radiation Therapy

Age Distribution of R.T.s 14.5% 17.1 % 34.8% 33.6%

Education Ladder Certificate Training Associate Degree Programs Baccalaureate Degree Programs Graduate Degree Programs

Wage & Salary Survey

Career Ladder Technical Aide Limited Permit Operator Entry Level Radiographer Advanced Practice CT Cardio-Vascular MR Quality Assurance Educator Administrator Radiologist Assistant

Creating a Technical Aide Training Program Planning for Success

Recommended Goals of a Technical Aide Training Program First line of support for the patient Support the technical activities of the department Understand the nature of patient services provided Requires thoughtful, conscientious attention to details Provides an opportunity to develop personal characteristics that support meaningful patient care and continued career development

Elements of a Technical Aide Curriculum Patient Care and Transport Medical Terminology and Medical Legal Issues of Patient Care Quality Control and Management Personnel and Patient Safety and Radiation Protection Introduction to Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Modalities

Patient Care and Transport Demonstrate techniques used for proper patient identification Identify the steps and procedures used to prevent the transmission of infection in the patient care setting Implement varying communication techniques to satisfy patient needs

Patient Care and Transport Integrate the principles and techniques associated with standard precautions in daily practice in the clinical setting Utilize proper body mechanics when involved in lifting and moving patients Participate in responding to patient emergencies as they arise in the patient care setting Provide safe and efficient patient transport within the patient care setting

Medical Terminology and Medical Legal Issues of Patient Care Translate medical terms into common language a patient could understand Correctly pronounce medical terms Interpret common medical abbreviations and symbols Patient Files and Record Keeping Archiving Medical Images

Medical Terminology and Medical Legal Issues of Patient Care Use correct medical terms in oral and written communications Perform assigned duties and tasks with an understanding of the medical legal implications present in the patient care setting.

Quality Control and Management Identify the procedures used to manage and control the quality of patient service provided in the radiology department Contribute to the quality control and management activities Offer suggestions and/or recommendations for maintaining and improving the quality service provided to physicians, patients and their families Describe the organizational structure of the radiology department

Personnel and Patient Safety and Radiation Protection Identify the procedure for incident/accident reporting in the department Identify the controlled access areas found in the department Identify the rationale for minimizing radiation exposure List steps/techniques designed to reduce a patients risk of radiation exposure

Personnel and Patient Safety and Radiation Protection Apply cardinal principles of radiation protection as they apply to themselves and their patient Interpret warning signage present in the department Wear personal radiation detection device in an appropriate manner

Personnel and Patient Safety and Radiation Protection Interpret their individual exposure from a routine report of dosimeter readings Describe the radiation protection features found in a typical diagnostic/therapeutic room Distinguish between man made and radioisotope sources of radiation exposure

Introduction to Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Modalities Describe the different imaging and/or therapeutic modalities making up the department of radiology Identify the types of procedures performed in each modality Assist in preparing a room for conducting a patient exam in each modality

The Perfect Storm Leads to Career Opportunities in the Medical Imaging Sciences