Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Posterity Group LLC•City of Syracuse, NY

About The Position

Posterity Group LLC is a veteran owned, service-disabled small business, headquartered in Rockville, MD, that specializes in federal government contracting and staffing. We are tasked with staffing The Syracuse VA Medical Center in Syracuse, NY. The Nuclear Medicine Technologist are expected to perform the following: Obtain, assess, and document pre-therapy patient preparation information and provide post-therapy patient Education following proper administration of advanced therapy dose. Analyze instances of increased radiation exposure levels and recommend measures to reduce. Analyze consequences of improper packaging of radioactive material and take appropriate actions. Prepare, assay, and administer radiopharmaceutical doses by injection, inhalation or ingestion as prescribed. Be proficient in introducing intravenous catheters in patients for administration of radiopharmaceuticals and/or medications. Be familiar with possible side effects of radiopharmaceuticals and other medications, such as lasix and captopril, to be administered. Take immediate action to remedy any noted effects. Receive patients, explain procedure, answer questions relating to the procedure, position patient for all necessary views and tend to their comfort for the duration of the procedure. Obtain clinical data from the patient, electronic chart, requisition, and interviewing the patient and/or family. Operate nuclear medicine equipment such as gamma cameras, well counters, GM survey meters, thyroid uptake system, and dose calibrators for various patient procedures. Understand and be able to perform exposure rate calculations. Perform a full range of Nuclear Medicine Diagnostic Imaging, non-imaging, in-vitro and therapeutic procedures, including highly specialized computer assisted studies such as gated, tomographic, quantitative procedures. Keep updated with new imaging agents, procedures, and methods and write imaging protocols. Analyze procedure images for quality. Obtain additional images when necessary. Be familiar in three-dimensional anatomy. Correctly administer radioactive pharmaceuticals to patients. Utilizes necessary quality management methods of patient identification such as using two unique identifiers and using active rather than passive identification. Instruct patient, family, and nursing staff in radiation safety precautions. Perform radiation surveys, post appropriate caution signs, and distribute personnel monitoring devices as required. Properly monitor and store any radioactive waste for disposal. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of personnel requiring film badges. Read and understand the film badge exposure report. Determine exposure patterns and recommend actions to reduce exposure levels to public, radiation workers and self. Prepare studies for Nuclear Medicine Physician's interpretation by ensuring completeness of all forms involved in the procedure. Record appropriate data and related information on the proper patient worksheet and images. Schedule patient procedures, taking into consideration camera availability, scan length, patient condition, the need for multiple nuclear medicine studies, other clinic appointments of the patient, contraindications for the test and urgency of the request. Inform patient of all pertinent preparations for their scan, i.e. NPO, follow certain diet, bowel prep, etc. Utilize and practice the concepts of As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) principal when maintaining radiation exposures. Assure that all Nuclear Medicine, Medical Center, VISN and Radiation Safety policies are effectively followed. Take necessary actions to minimize contamination and exposure to self, public and coworkers. Contacting the Radiopharmacy and Radiation Safety Officer if needed. Calibrate thyroid uptake system, gamma cameras, dose calibrators and well counter. Adjust and maintain instruments, verify correct operation using established procedures and quality control standards. Participate in research projects involving Nuclear Medicine studies, products, equipment and/or radio pharmaceuticals. Instruct Nuclear Medicine students, Radiology students, new technologists, residents and others on techniques, procedures, equipment use, etc. Perform other nuclear medicine related duties as assigned

Requirements

Shall be licensed to practice Radiologic Technology in a state, territory, or commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia. All licenses held by the personnel working on this contract shall be full and unrestricted licenses.
Nuclear Medicine Technologists must be certified in Nuclear Medicine Technology by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or by the American Registry of Radiologic Technology, RT (N)
Specific knowledge and training in the location, appearance, and function of the various major and minor systems susceptible to radiological illumination
To interpret the examination request accurately; to understand the functioning and inter-relationship of the various organs; to use the methods and techniques which will identify organs appearing on the digital display monitor, or on film, and the various stages of the examination to judge the acceptability of the image and/or scan for diagnostic use and to emphasize the aspects of interest to the physician.
Nuclear Medicine assignments that include performance of independent duties in this subspecialty require certification by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or by the American Registry of Radiologic Technology, RT (N).

Responsibilities

Obtain, assess, and document pre-therapy patient preparation information and provide post-therapy patient Education following proper administration of advanced therapy dose.
Analyze instances of increased radiation exposure levels and recommend measures to reduce.
Analyze consequences of improper packaging of radioactive material and take appropriate actions.
Prepare, assay, and administer radiopharmaceutical doses by injection, inhalation or ingestion as prescribed.
Be proficient in introducing intravenous catheters in patients for administration of radiopharmaceuticals and/or medications.
Be familiar with possible side effects of radiopharmaceuticals and other medications, such as lasix and captopril, to be administered. Take immediate action to remedy any noted effects.
Receive patients, explain procedure, answer questions relating to the procedure, position patient for all necessary views and tend to their comfort for the duration of the procedure.
Obtain clinical data from the patient, electronic chart, requisition, and interviewing the patient and/or family.
Operate nuclear medicine equipment such as gamma cameras, well counters, GM survey meters, thyroid uptake system, and dose calibrators for various patient procedures.
Understand and be able to perform exposure rate calculations.
Perform a full range of Nuclear Medicine Diagnostic Imaging, non-imaging, in-vitro and therapeutic procedures, including highly specialized computer assisted studies such as gated, tomographic, quantitative procedures.
Keep updated with new imaging agents, procedures, and methods and write imaging protocols.
Analyze procedure images for quality. Obtain additional images when necessary.
Be familiar in three-dimensional anatomy.
Correctly administer radioactive pharmaceuticals to patients.
Utilizes necessary quality management methods of patient identification such as using two unique identifiers and using active rather than passive identification.
Instruct patient, family, and nursing staff in radiation safety precautions. Perform radiation surveys, post appropriate caution signs, and distribute personnel monitoring devices as required. Properly monitor and store any radioactive waste for disposal.
Demonstrate a thorough understanding of personnel requiring film badges. Read and understand the film badge exposure report. Determine exposure patterns and recommend actions to reduce exposure levels to public, radiation workers and self.
Prepare studies for Nuclear Medicine Physician's interpretation by ensuring completeness of all forms involved in the procedure. Record appropriate data and related information on the proper patient worksheet and images.
Schedule patient procedures, taking into consideration camera availability, scan length, patient condition, the need for multiple nuclear medicine studies, other clinic appointments of the patient, contraindications for the test and urgency of the request. Inform patient of all pertinent preparations for their scan, i.e. NPO, follow certain diet, bowel prep, etc.
Utilize and practice the concepts of As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) principal when maintaining radiation exposures.
Assure that all Nuclear Medicine, Medical Center, VISN and Radiation Safety policies are effectively followed.
Take necessary actions to minimize contamination and exposure to self, public and coworkers. Contacting the Radiopharmacy and Radiation Safety Officer if needed.
Calibrate thyroid uptake system, gamma cameras, dose calibrators and well counter. Adjust and maintain instruments, verify correct operation using established procedures and quality control standards.
Participate in research projects involving Nuclear Medicine studies, products, equipment and/or radio pharmaceuticals.
Instruct Nuclear Medicine students, Radiology students, new technologists, residents and others on techniques, procedures, equipment use, etc.
Perform other nuclear medicine related duties as assigned