Q&A: ARRT Preliminary Test Scores

Following up on a post almost 4 years ago... still getting questions about how accurate the scoring is.

Please feel free to comment... especially if you found that your preliminary score did NOT match your official score once received in the mail.

T-Tube Cholangiogram

Thanks Lori for sending me this.  I couldn't find any information about the author/creator, but here is the link for it and you can check out some additional material at the bottom of the embedded presentation:  http://www.slideshare.net/ricksw78/ttube-cholangiogram

T-tube Cholangiogram

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Ask Me - Question and Answer Sessions

I've been getting a lot of great emails lately from my readers asking questions about various topics, and I'm finding that I spend a lot of time writing email responses that could (should) have been blog posts or YouTube video productions.  I'm missing valuable opportunities here... the obvious opportunity to post content, the opportunity to get to know you, and make myself know by you more, as well as to find out what kinds of topics I need to be visiting more to help you out.  Here's what I propose:

I would like to begin a question/answer session on the blog here... if you have a burning question about something related to radiography, post in the comment section here, send me an email, or comment on my YouTube Channel, and I will respond with a video answer.  I don't claim to know it all, but if I don't know something related to general radiography, chances are that I know someone who does and I can direct you to the right place.  The world of radiography is a small community and we have valuable resources among ourselves... I hope this can help to be a more interactive experience for everyone.

New Video: Townes Skull

Video discusses positioning criteria and critique of over and under-angulation of the x-ray tube on the radiograph.

Click here to watch this video and more on YouTube

10 things JCAHO looks for in Radiology

1.  HIPAA compliance - Is there patient information left out for passers by to view?  Make sure that your monitors displaying patient info are not in public view.  Paperwork should be face down if anybody can just pass by and be able to read it.  Patient identification and history should be verified verbally once in the exam room (you can check the armband prior to entering, but ask the patient behind closed doors).  Proper identification of patients with at least two identifiers.  Proper charting of procedures and checking Physician's orders is important as well.

2.  Crash cart checks - the crash cart in your department should be checked daily.  There must also be proof that it was checked.  A log including date, time, lock number, first drug expiration date, first equipment expiration date, who's checking the cart, and records of defibrillator tests (usually the test strips) must be available on the cart.  If you're missing a day... ding!

3.  Pharmaceuticals - need to be under lock and key - this includes contrast media.  Techs need to know where the key is also.  Make sure you do not have expired drugs/contrast.  Multi-use vials and bottles need to have an "opened on" date, as well as an "expires on" date.  These are usually 28 days after opening for expiration for most containers.  Barium tablet bottles can be saved for one year after opening.  If you see an open container that is not dated, chuck it out.

4.  Waste disposal - every type of waste has its place.  Sharps containers should be locked up and removed after they are 3/4 full.  Contrast has its own special disposal container.  Linens and trash go in separate places.  You know the drill.

5.  Fire drill!!! - know what to do in case of a fire... evacuation routes, how to locate and operate a fire extinguisher and alarm pull stations, and where to find the nearest gas and oxygen shut off valves.

6.  Hand sanitizing - this has been a big one at every JCAHO site visit I have been a part of.  Wash your hands before and after every patient, or use hand gel if your hospital provides it.  Please make sure not to use the same gloves on two patients.  Gloves should be used in the exam room and disposed of prior to walking out of the room with the patient.  Segway to...

7.  Isolation precautions - know your hospital's methods for communicating isolation protocol.  Know the proper precaution per disease type, as well as the proper method for gearing up for an exam.

8.  Quality Assurance - there are many things that a radiology department is responsible for regarding equipment, radiation monitoring etc.  The ones that JCAHO may be interested in are probably going to involve radiation protection.  Make sure you have your lead aprons cataloged and checked for cracks once a year.  Make sure that your staff is wearing their radiation badges.

9.  Incident response - what does your department do if an incident/occurrence report needs to be filed?  How are safety concerns and policy violations reported and followed up on?  Who is responsible for filling these reports out?

10.  MSDS information - they might say, "what would happen if you came across an unknown chemical that was spilled on the floor and you haven't heard the name of the chemical on the label?"  Know where to find your Material Safety Data Sheets... usually you can access them online, but do you know the website? Or do you know where your facility might have paper copies?  This is your homework ;-)

Remember, you may not have all the answers to these questions... especially under pressure.  You should know who does have the answers though.  The absolute worst thing you can say is "I don't know" followed by a blank stare or an apologetic look on your face with a shoulder shrug.  You can, however, say "let me ask my supervisor" or "let me find out for you."