Radiation Therapist / Senior

Emory•Atlanta, GA

13h•Onsite

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Chief Radiation Therapist, the Radiation Therapist performs treatment and simulation procedures, as directed by the Radiation Oncologist. This role involves providing thorough documentation, preparing contrast materials, and ensuring the treatment room and equipment are ready for patients. Staff in this role will coordinate activities of their assigned treatment unit, including appointment scheduling and chart checks. They will also serve as a subject matter expert for special procedures and treatment unit operations, troubleshooting difficult setups. The Radiation Therapist monitors the treatment unit schedule to maintain proper alignment of appointment durations, supports department policies and quality improvement initiatives, and coordinates transfers between treatment machines during operational breakdowns or scheduling challenges. They explain procedures to patients, answer questions, and reassure them before and after procedures. The role requires checking patient treatment plans, delivering prescribed doses, maintaining patient skin markings, and documenting treatments according to departmental protocols. Physicians are kept informed, and treatments are adapted per physician orders. The therapist acquires and analyzes digital radiographs, observes radiation safety measures, and performs patient positioning and immobilization device construction. They operate CT simulation units and supporting equipment, and may assist in special procedures. Image quality and patient positioning are evaluated, and initial set-up checks are performed to ensure consistency. Patients are monitored visually and audibly during therapy for any unusual reactions. The therapist uses judgment to inform the physician if indicated by the patient's condition before proceeding with treatment and reports relevant information to supervisory personnel. A high level of collaboration with all members of the patient's care team is expected. Treatment appointments are scheduled to optimize department efficiency and patient convenience. Changes in patient condition or response to treatment are reported to the Radiation Oncologist or Nurse. The role includes assisting with the orientation and training of new or transfer staff and radiation therapy students. Maintenance of department facilities, equipment, and supplies is supported, and maintenance/repair needs are reported to the supervisor. A clean and orderly work area is maintained, and participation in educational in-services is expected. Professional activities and organizations are engaged in to maintain and expand knowledge. Procedure charges are accurately recorded. On-call duties are performed to provide emergency treatments during non-clinic hours. Continuous job-related competencies are demonstrated annually. Treatment devices are evaluated, and compliance with medical center and regulatory agency standards is maintained. Patient safety standards are ensured. Daily QA processes for CT scanners and Linear Accelerators are completed, with results recorded and suboptimal performance reported. Quality assurance audits are conducted on patient charts. Hospital and department Quality/safety event learning processes are supported. Established department policies, procedures, objectives, quality assurance, safety, environmental, and infection control are complied with. SAFE or RO-ILS reports are submitted as needed, and participation in department QA and QI initiatives is expected. Treatment protocol criteria are reviewed to ensure adherence to guidelines. All other duties as assigned are performed. Patient care and/or support activities are provided appropriate to all ages served, primarily adults ages 18-65 or geriatric patients ages over 65, and may include care for infants, children, or adolescents.

Requirements

Minimum of 2 years experience as a radiation therapist.
Certificate or degree from an accredited Radiation Therapy Technology program.
American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification.
Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification in accordance with the American Heart Association required.

Responsibilities

Perform radiation treatment and simulation procedures in accordance with the Radiation Oncologists instructions and departmental procedures.
Provide thorough documentation of simulation set-up, and procedure information.
Prepare and/or administer IV and oral contrast.
Perform POCT testing for pregnancy, and in preparation for IV contrast administration.
Prepare treatment room and equipment for patient according to the prescription and simulation, including placement of immobilization devices, setting of treatment devices, verifying parameters and any protection devices.
Coordinate activities of their assigned treatment unit; appointment scheduling, CRT coordination; emergency start; QA-CT; initial and weekly chart checks.
Serve as subject matter expert (SME) for special procedures, treatment unit operations, and trouble shoot difficult set-ups.
Monitor treatment unit schedule to maintain proper alignment of treatment appointment durations.
Support department policies, quality improvement initiatives; implementation of new processes and workflows.
Work with Chief and Lead to coordinate transfers between treatment machines during periods of operational break down or scheduling challenges.
Explain procedure, including pre- and post-simulation or treatment.
Answer questions and reassure patient before and after procedure.
Transfer patient to treatment table with care for IV s and catheters.
Check patient treatment plan and deliver prescribed dose.
Maintain patient skin markings.
Document treatment, in accordance with departmental protocols.
Keep physician informed and adapt treatment per physician orders.
Acquire and analyze digital radiograph of all treatment area(s).
Observe radiation safety measures for patient and personnel.
Perform patient positioning and immobilization device construction to promote set-up consistency for daily treatments.
Operate CT simulation unit, and supporting equipment; Power injector, gating, model construction equipment.
May assist in special procedures including HDR; Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Implants.
Evaluate images for technical quality, and proper positioning.
Perform initial set-up checks to facilitate daily set-up consistency, and confirm congruency between prescription, treatment site, treatment plan parameters, and other relevant information.
Monitor patient visually and audibly during therapy procedure for any unusual reactions or events.
Use judgment and inform physician if indicated by patient's condition, before proceeding with treatment.
Report relevant information to designated supervisory personnel.
Interface in a highly collaborative manner with all members of the patient's care team including: radiation oncologists, physicists, dosimetrists, nurses, social workers, administration and others.
Schedule treatment appointments to optimize department efficiency and patient convenience.
Report changes in patient's condition or inappropriate response to treatment to Radiation Oncologist or Nurse.
Assist with orientation and training of new or transfer staff to ensure competence in the functionality of all therapy related equipment.
Support training and oversight of radiation therapy students within the guidelines of the program and the department.
Assist with the maintenance of department facilities, equipment, and supplies.
Report maintenance and repair needs to supervisor.
Maintain a clean and order work area.
Participate in educational in-services, as appropriate.
Participate in professional activities and organizations to maintain and expand knowledge of current trends, practices, and developments.
Ensure procedure charges for are accurately recorded.
Perform on-call duties to provide emergency treatments during non-clinic hours.
Demonstrate continuous job related competencies on an annual basis as applicable.
Participate in the evaluation of treatment devices.
Maintain compliance with medical center and regulatory agency standards in regard to annual training, infection control, Radiation Protection guidelines, and credentialing requirements.
Ensure adherence to patient safety standards.
Complete daily QA process for CT scanner and Linear Accelerators.
Record results and report suboptimal performance of these systems to the Medical Physicist and other designated personnel.
Conduct new plan and therapist chart check quality assurance audits on charts of those patients starting and under treatment; ensure required set-up instructions are recorded and plan timeouts are completed.
Support hospital and department Quality/safety event learning processes.
Comply with established department policies, procedures, objectives, quality assurance, safety, environmental and infection control.
Submit SAFE or RO-ILS reports as needed.
Participate and support department QA and QI initiatives.
Review treatment protocol criteria, to ensure adherence of treatment delivery to guidelines.
Perform all other duties as assigned.
Provide patient care and/or support activities appropriate to all ages served, primarily adults ages 18-65 or geriatric patients ages overage 65. May also include care for infant age 0-1 year, child ages 1-12 years or adolescent 13-17 years.