American’s Got Nurses Interview Article – Radiology Nurse
Dec 3, 2014 | 11:00 am
Radiology nurses work with all facets of technological imagery of medicine such as MRI, ultrasounds, CT scans, X-rays, mammography and so on. Their duties and skills do not end in just imagery and X-rays. A radiology nurse must have a high level of knowledge, expertise and independence. They treat a wide variety of patients with diverse needs and sometimes information may be limited at the time. The knowledge has to be vast and strong.
On the site Working Nurse, in an article titled “Assisting with Diagnostics and Interventional Procedures,” Ronald Gore, RN of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Department of Interventional Radiology was asked how technology impacted his work? He replied by saying, “With the advancements in technology, what used to be done surgically can now be done with non-evasive procedures since there is a higher demand for IR procedures.”
Radiology nurses have other duties including the task of starting and checking peripheral IVs, assessing infusaports, administering medications, monitoring vital signs, and performing special nurses duties such as IV sedation. There is also an educational component, as eventually you must teach other nurses the same standards you are learning.
On Life Bridge Health, in an article titled “What’s a Radiology Nurse,” Kris Prentice, RN stated when asked about the importance of patient education, “We want our patients to be informed and be able to make decisions about their care.”
Since radiology nurse deals with all ages and conditions, there has to be special care taken when treating each individual patient. The amount of radiation and services provided is regulated and great care is taken for the patients and their wellbeing. Healthcare professionals operate as a team on many levels.
Salary
According to the Houston Chronicle, depending on education and experience, the lower percentile makes around $45,000 with the median level being about $75,000 and those who have higher education and experience can make as much as $100,000 per year. The region, level of education and experience along with the employer, this plays a role in potential wages.
Those in the field of medical, no matter what branch they’re in, the demand is mentally and physically stressful, but most of them love what they do and enjoy being able to make a difference in the lives of the patients they treat on a daily basis. It takes a great deal of compassion, empathy, sincerity, time management, communication skills, critical thinking skills and one must excel in the use of technology and medical procedures, policies and terminology in order to succeed.
All levels of the healthcare industry have a multitude of educated people who have invested time and money into a very in-depth education at many levels to gain the skills they have for their careers. Many are grinding in the books, labs and practicums right now wondering if they are ever going to finish, and wondering what it will be like for their first day in the real world of medicine. We assure you, you can succeed if your heart is really in it! Dream careers can happen; all you need is the drive and the opportunity to go back to class.