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Nuclear Medicine Technologist
UCI Series Concepts
Class Specifications - H.25
Chief Nuclear Medicine Technologist - 9001
Associate Chief Nuclear Medicine Technologist - 9002
Senior Nuclear Medicine Technologist - 9003
Nuclear Medicine Technologist - 9004
Nuclear Medicine Technologist Trainee - 9005
April, 1982
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SERIES CONCEPT
Nuclear Medicine Technologists, under the direction of a physician
licensed to possess radioactive materials utilize radionuclides and
radiopharmaceuticals to perform or assist in the performance of patient
diagnostic examinations and therapeutic administrations; and perform
other related duties as required.
The range of duties performed includes but is not limited to
radionuclide imaging of organs, organ systems, compartments physiologic
functions, assays of body fluids, tissues and radiobioassays.
Specific tasks performed include but are not limited to the following:
patient care, quality assurance, imaging procedures, non-imaging
including labeling of blood components and radioassays, computer science
applications and radiation safety measures.
Incumbents in addition use independent judgment to assess patient needs
while patients are undergoing nuclear medicine examinations; advise
regarding the appropriate selection of protocols to be followed in
choosing and determining the doses of radiopharmaceuticals,
instrumentation selection, and computer data enhancement of protocols in
order to effect a desired diagnostic out come; assist in the orientation
of students and staff in new techniques; provide demonstrations of
laboratory methods; provide information to students, peers, patients and
the public as appropriate; and provide documentation for the permanent
records of patients as required by the various licensing bodies and
accreditation agencies.
Skills typically utilized by incumbents include laboratory, pipetting
and injection techniques; calculation of decay and volumes and
mathematical analysis to determine the amount of material to inject.
The above responsibilities require appropriate knowledge of the field of
nuclear medicine technology and those aspects of chemistry, physics,
mathematics, biomedical and computer sciences that relate to nuclear
medicine.
The Nuclear Medicine Technologist series consists of five levels with
the distinction between levels based on the scope and/or complexity of
the nuclear medicine functions, and the degree of supervision exercised.
CLASS CONCEPTS
Chief Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Under general direction incumbents plan, direct and coordinate all
technical and related administrative work in the Nuclear Medicine
Department of a campus medical center facility.
Incumbents typically develop, administer and coordinate a comprehensive
nuclear medicine clinical service program; prepare and administer the
departmental budget; plan and evaluate the effective utilization of
personnel, physical and material resources for the various programs and
clinical services provided; Serve as liaison with interhospital groups,
other allied medical personnel, outside agencies and the community;
coordinate the activities and services of the Nuclear Medicine
Department with other hospital programs and services; and exercise
overall guidance, supervision and evaluation of Nuclear Medicine
programs and staff in compliance with hospital and professional
standards and policies.
Incumbents may in addition establish and direct academic curricula for a
Nuclear Medicine Technology Educational Program; may assist
investigators on research projects; and may perform work of an
innovative nature to develop new techniques and procedures.
Associate Chief Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Under direction incumbents serve either as Clinical Coordinators and/or
Education Coordinators. Incumbents as Clinical Coordinators serve as
principal assistants to the Chief Nuclear Medicine Technologist and may
perform duties as delegated during the incumbents' absence. Duties
performed typically include but are not limited to the following:
patient evaluation and direct care on a consultative/ resource basis;
advising on the choice of appropriate radiopharmaceuticals,
instrumentation and protocols to provide a specified diagnostic outcome;
acting as a clinical resource for residents and staff physicians;
assisting the medical staff in the development of protocols; reviewing
protocols and making recommendations to the Chief Technologist regarding
the appropriateness of allocation of resources supervising the efficient
flow of patient caseloads; coordinating scheduling priorities monitoring
performance/documentation of equipment quality control; coordinating
unusual protocol studies; monitoring disbursement logs and maintaining
inventory of radiopharmaceuticals; and maintaining the daily schedule
board.
Incumbents as Education Coordinators serve as staff resource for either
administration or in-service education for the various services of the
Nuclear Medicine Department; and design, organize and implement on-going
in-service education and training of Nuclear Medicine staff, students
and/or fellows. Typical tasks include identifying training and
educational needs and designing programs to meet such needs by
coordinating the orientation of new staff; coordinating Nuclear Medicine
Technology Educational Training Programs and clinical rotation;
providing linkage with affiliate hospitals and educators; acting as
liaison with other teaching units within the medical center; and
evaluating and performing direct patient care services within the
department.
Senior Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Under general supervision incumbents perform the full range of
laboratory, diagnostic, or therapeutic procedures provided by a
Nuclear Medicine Laboratory and typified by the duties described in the
series concept.
This is the operational level and requires a high degree of technical
competence and judgment. Senior Nuclear Medicine Technologists are
distinguished from Nuclear Medicine Technologists in that incumbents
must have received prior certification as Nuclear Medicine
Technologists with the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board,
the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, or the American
Society of Clinical Pathology.
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Under supervision incumbents perform a variety of invivo or invitro
procedures to assist certified technologists in the diagnosis and
treatment of patients by use of nuclear medicine techniques and
equipment. Incumbents perform some of the duties described in the series
concept under the direction of certified higher level technologists.
This is the entry level in the series, however, positions may be
assigned to this level on a continuing basis.
Nuclear Medicine Technologist Trainee
Under close supervision, Nuclear Medicine Technologist Trainees receive
training during a one-year program which qualifies incumbents to perform
a variety of duties in nuclear medicine diagnosis, research and therapy.
The training program includes formal instruction, periodic examinations
and structured on-the-job training.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants for positions in the Nuclear Medicine Technologist series are
expected to possess the skills, knowledge, and abilities essential to
the successful performance of the duties assigned to the positions.
Note: Specific qualification requirements are approved for positions by
the Personnel Manager in accordance with the provisions of Staff
Personnel Policies 210.8 and 210.9.
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