|
As an important part of a hospital team, an x-ray technician
helps a doctor diagnose patients by taking pictures of bones
and organs. X-ray technician courses train students to photograph
potential problems inside patients’ bodies so that a
doctor can choose the best course of treatment. But x-ray
technicians do more than take pictures. Here’s an example
of many of the skills an x-ray technician would use with one
particular patient.
The patient arrives.
Francis had been rushed to the hospital after falling down
her basement stairs. She is complaining of severe pain in
her left leg, and her attending physician suspects that it
is broken. This is where Steve, the x-ray technician, comes
in. Francis has been wheeled to the x-ray department, where
Steve will get the request from the doctor about what kinds
of x-rays are needed.
The x-ray technician takes x-rays and calms the patient.
Because Francis is elderly and in pain, Steve must maneuver
her from the wheelchair to the x-ray table. Francis is frightened,
so Steve talks to her about what he is going to do to calm
her nerves. He figures out the best way to position Francis
to keep her comfortable while still allowing him to take the
clearest pictures of her leg. He covers her with a lead jacket,
steps behind a wall, and puts on his own safety equipment.
Because Steve takes many x-rays a day, it’s important
for him to minimize his exposure to radiation as well as the
patient’s exposure. He takes his first x-ray.
Steve must turn Francis on her side to x-ray the leg from
another angle. Her leg hurts much more in this second position,
so Steve tells her a funny story about his dog to distract
her while he takes the next picture. For Steve, the hardest
part of his job is keeping the patients calm and still while
they are scared and in severe pain.
An x-ray technician’s job continues after the
patient leaves.
After Francis is wheeled back to her room, Steve develops
the film and delivers the x-rays to the doctor who will treat
Francis. Although Steve can’t diagnose patients, he’s
trained to spot potential emergency situations on x-rays so
he can alert hospital staff that a patient needs immediate
care. He sterilizes the equipment and table for the next patient.
Take x-ray technician courses at accredited career
colleges.
An x-ray technician has to be trained before he can ever
work with patients. X-ray
technician courses at accredited career colleges teach
students how to position patients, work with x-ray equipment,
and develop film. A good x-ray technician program will also
cover how to work with and comfort patients who have trouble
moving or are in pain.
For example, the Ultimate Medical Academy in Florida offers
all the necessary courses in anatomy, radiography, and patient
care to prepare you for a career as an x-ray technician in
as little as seven weeks.
Kaplan College goes one step further and also trains you
in related practices, like performing laboratory tests and
electrocardiograms.
There are many career colleges that offer x-ray technician
courses to choose from. To see these and others, visit the
x-ray
technician colleges directory today.
|
