Cardiac CT Technologist

Job Summary

• Must be flexible with work hours to meet department needs.
• Must be dependable, accountable and cooperative.
• Assists with providing safe, age appropriate care to the patient by performing all exams provided by the department according to department procedures.
• Has the knowledge and ability to properly and safely obtain a quality diagnostic study.
• Responsible for performing a wide variety of technical procedures requiring independent judgment, ingenuity and initiative in the utilization of equipment for the diagnosis and/or treatment of diseases.
• Able to independently perform job functions.
• Sets up the equipment to provide imaging service and positions patient for the procedure.

Core Responsibilities and Essential Functions

Patient Care

• Obtains complete clinical history, gathers examination data and assesses for contraindicating conditions.
• Follows established procedures for the administration of contrast medias so that no patient condition deteriorates, and no patient suffers undue pain, due to error or poor technique.
• Ensures that all studies have proper patient identification.
• Reviews images for clinically acceptable results and releases patients.
• Responds to emergency situations.
• Assists other technologists in all modalities when needed.
• Observes patient condition and properly evaluates situations when physician intervention is necessary so that no patient condition deteriorates.
• Verifies correct identity of patient prior to performing a procedure according to hospital policy and procedure.
• Ensures patient's privacy and comfort is accommodated. Maintains patients dignity throughout the exam/procedure.
• Demonstrates competence in the determination and application of appropriate procedures, equipment, supplies and techniques based on the age of patients.
• Organizes schedule, time and priorities so that required activities are accomplished within designated time frames.
• Follows physicians instructions when assisting with procedures and exams.
• Understands, demonstrates and documents pre-procedure verification and Time Out process when appropriate.
• Demonstrates and understands pre-and-post procedural care.
• Preps the patient for the procedure.
• Demonstrates and understands sterile technique.
• Prepares trays and catheters for procedures, participates in biopsies if applicable.
• Demonstrates proficiency on the Dynacad if applicable.
• Prepares and may administer contrast.
• Verifies order is with contrast, checks patient GFR (labs) and dosing of contrast is weight based.
• Uses appropriate safety devices to protect patients hearing during exam.
• Understands anatomical positioning, correct labeling of body parts, and infant immobilizer.
• Knows cross sectional anatomy, includes all appropriate anatomy.
• Uses critical thinking skills.
• Seeks clarification on ambiguous orders.
• Utilizes Dose Reduction Techniques.

Equipment

• Demonstrates the ability to adjust technique so that patient receives the best study possible and that image quality is maintained.
• Reports problems regarding malfunctioning equipment to supervisor or service provider, so that problem can be corrected in a timely manner.
• Cleans, disinfects and maintains equipment in accordance with infection control policy and department cleaning schedule.
• Ability to operate patient monitoring system.

Education and Communications

• Patiently and clearly explains purpose and nature of exam to patient prior to starting procedure, to minimize anxiety and facilitate cooperation using AIDET; Acknowledge, Introduce, Discuss, Explain, and Thank you of all patients and family members.
• Ensures that patient's questions, concerns or contraindications are satisfactorily addressed, notifying physician when this cannot be accomplished, prior to the initiation of the procedure.
• Participates in the orientation and training of departmental employees.
• Required documentation is concise, legible and includes precise terminology.
• Reads email each day scheduled to work and follows through with assignment.
• Completes mandatory departmental and Hospital-wide education without prompting.

Quality Control

• Produces acceptable images, follows established exam protocols.
• Ensures that equipment is fully operational prior to each use, by checking for proper calibration and operating deficiencies.
• Sends all studies to PACS immediately after completion in RIS and prints CDs as needed.
• Studies that have been transmitted after hours to teleradiography are printed and scanned in PACS, if applicable.
• Maintains CT suite in a safe environment, i.e. locked down at all times.

Cardiac CT Scanning

• Understands cardiac protocols and their pulse sequences.
• Gets studies protocoled.
• Knows and understands cardiac planes and how to achieve them.
• Able to adjust protocols per patient, ie breath holds, arrythmias, anatomy, level of consciousness and ability to cooperate.
• Able to correctly choose appropriate looklocker and prepulse delays on delayed enhancement.
• Able to adjust BB pulse thickness for complete blood suppression.
• Evaluate phase contrast series for aliasing and appropriately corrects velocity encoding.
• Interacts with the cardiac radiologist and can respond with any additional sequences requested.

Operations

• Restocks linens and supplies and maintains CT Department in clean and orderly condition.
• Transports patients, positions patients, and helps them on and off procedure table.
• Performs patient charging activities on the day the service is rendered.
• Applies supportive and immobilization devices and equipment.
• Willingly lends knowledge and assistance to others upon request as needed and routinely as time is available, without prompting, so that all working time is used for departmental advantage.
• Performs routine duties of clerical and support personnel in accordance with procedure when warranted to ensure continuity and quality of services.
• Keeps supervisor informed on all responsibilities on an ongoing basis, ensuring prompt notification in the event of problems or potential problems.
• Maintains an individual productivity rate equal to other co-workers.
• Ability to push / retrieve studies to the PACS system.
• Maintains Joint Commission standards and any other regulatory agency standards.
• Any other duties as assigned.
• Takes call when necessary.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all Wellstar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.

Required Minimum Education

• Successful completion of an accredited CT program or ARRT-R
• Successful completion of WellStar’s Cardiac CT training program. Required

Required Minimum License(s) and Certification(s)

• All certifications are required upon hire unless otherwise stated.
• Basic Life Support or BLS - Instructor
• ARRT Computed Tomography or ARRT Radiography

Additional License(s) and Certification(s)

Required Minimum Experience

• Minimum 2 years experience in a clinical setting caring for patients; Required
• Prefer CT clinical setting. Preferred

Required Minimum Skills

• Must exhibit excellent communication skills because this position requires frequent verbal and written communications with physicians, patients, visitors, departmental staff and nursing staff.
• The employee obtains, presents and discusses clinical information regarding job responsibilities on a routine basis.
• Candidate must be able to explain or give directions to maintain goodwill and obtain cooperation with all contacts.
• Must possess the ability to function independently and under pressure while still actively participating in a team environment.
• Position requires the employee to exhibit excellent customer service skills at all times.
• Must be able to perform effectively in a stressful and fast paced work environment.
• Must have the ability to prioritize appropriately. Must be detail oriented and have the capacity to effectively multitask throughout the work shift.
• Must have excellent communication skills and the capacity to interact professionally with a variety of customers, including but not limited to patients, families, co-workers, volunteers, and physicians throughout the work shift.
• Must possess the ability to function independently, yet productively as a cooperative team member with various work teams associated with the position. Must be compliant, with a willingness to follow all Hospital policies as well as the established practices, protocols and procedures of the position, department and applicable professional standards.
• Competent in all aspects of CT, patient positioning, pulse sequence parameters and magnet safety.
• Must have an understanding of anatomy and pathology as to how they affect the quality of a procedure.