Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Why work for Nebraska Methodist Health System?
At Nebraska Methodist Health System, we focus on providing exceptional care to the communities we serve and people we employ. We call it The Meaning of Care – a culture that has and will continue to set us apart. It’s helping families grow by making each delivery special, conveying a difficult diagnosis with a compassionate touch, going above and beyond for a patient’s needs, or giving a high five when a patient beats a disease or conquers a personal health challenge. We offer competitive pay, excellent benefits and a great work environment where all employees are valued! Most importantly, our employees are part of a team that makes a real difference in the communities we live and work in.

Job Summary:

Location: Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital
Address: 933 E Pierce St, Council Bluffs, IA

Work Schedule: Full-Time Day shift 7:00-15:30 M-F. Rotating on-call duties Saturday and Sunday 8:00 am to noon.

Nuclear Medicine Technologists are specialized healthcare professionals who use radioactive materials (radiopharmaceuticals) to produce images that reveal organ function and detect disease.

Responsibilities:

Essential Job Functions

Quality & Safety - Quality Control

• Follows manufacture's recommendations for quality control of imaging equipment, and is able to recognize defects on daily floods prior to patient use. Maintains complete QC records.
• Evaluates the performance of cameras for:
  • Detector Uniformity, both qualitatively and quantitatively in comparison with manufacturer's specs and initiating corrective action when necessary.
  • Linearity evaluation.
  • Spatial resolution checks.
  • Sensitivity checks.
  • SPECT QC: High count uniformity flood, center of rotation, energy correction, detector alignment, visible degradation.
• Performs dose calibrator checks daily as well as survey meter checks.

Heightened Focus on Efficiency - Patient Care

• Provides comfort and care to the patient before, during and after the procedure, including the monitoring of intravenous lines, oxygen supply and drains.
• Exercises judgment to assess and respond to the patient's needs prior to, during, and after procedures and if necessary performs patient medication reconciliation.
• Maintaining proper communication with patients and behaving in a professional manner in consideration and observation of patient's rights.
• Providing a safe environment for patients and staff in compliance with standard precaution policies.
• Recognizing and responding to medical emergency conditions.
• Reviews indication appropriateness and consults authorized to assure the proper study is ordered.
• Verifies patient name, Date of Birth (DOB), Medical Record Number (MRN), last menstrual period and pregnancy/breast feeding status.
• Obtains a pertinent medical history.
• Assures the pre-study preparation has been completed prior to starting procedure.
• Assuring that informed consent has been obtained when necessary.
• Ensures patient education is provided.
• Checks patient clothing and linen for objects that may cause image artifacts.
• Maintains adequate volume of medication and pharmaceuticals supplies.
• Schedules patients in a timely manner, determining the best sequence for all patients.
• Maintains records in Syntrac of patient doses, QC procedures, patient reports and other required data.
• Establishing and/or verifying venipuncture access using aseptic technique.
• Waits the appropriate length of time after administration of isotope to begin the imaging procedure.
• Acquire images using established protocol using proper positioning to best demonstrate pathology and to adapt to the patient's limitations.
• Review all images to assure that the correct information is supplied.
• Prepare patients for placement of Electrocardiogram (ECG), recognizing and responding to any Electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, Recognizing the parameters that indicate termination of cardiac stress study, and Electrocardiogram (ECG) patterns that are appropriate for image gating.
• Perform data collection, processing and analysis in accordance with established protocols.
• Perform computer data manipulations as required by standard nuclear medicine procedures (e.g. activity curve generation, quantitation, SPECT slice production)

Quality & Safety-Radiopharmaceuticals

• Obtains and maintains sufficient Isotope in accordance with anticipated need and license possession limits.
• Storage of isotopes is done in a manner consistent with labeled product safeguards and with radiation safety considerations.
• Wipe testing is performed and documented upon receipt.
• Recording receipt of radioactive materials in Syntrac.
• Follows Department of Transportation and radiation safety guidelines in the transport, receipt, and shipment of radioactivity.
• Unit dose preparation includes measuring the radioactivity in the dose calibrator as well as physical appearance inspection noting color and clarity. Dosage is compared against the identification label of the dose's immediate container (i.e. syringe).
• Recording use and/or disposition of all radioactive materials in Syntrac.
• Labeling vials and syringes as required by regulation.
• Dispenses only within the prescribed dose limits outlined by the authorized user.

Quality & Safety-Radiation Safety

• Maintain compliance with local, state, and federal regulations in radiation safety.
• Keep up to date on regulatory changes.
• Notify authorities when changes occur within the radiation safety program.
• Maintain required records, post appropriate signs.
• Comply with regulations regarding receipt, disposal and usage of all radioactive materials.
• Use and review exposure levels monthly from personnel monitoring device (film badges).
• Notify proper authorities of excessive exposure upon occurrence.
• Using proper syringe shields and other shielding configurations to reduce radiation exposure to patients, personnel and public.
• Perform and record weekly wipe testing along with daily surveys of the work environment. Take appropriate action if contamination is found.
• Notify the RSO when actions are required.
• Keep radioactive material for 10 half-lives prior to disposal.
• Maintain long term and short term storage of radioactive material.
• Thorough consistent use of protective devices, shields, monitors, and other devices consistent with ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable), as well as decontaminating spills and other inappropriate releases of radiation.
• Educates the patient and family while practicing techniques that will minimize radiation exposure to the patient, general public and health care personnel.

Partnerships & Collaboration-Administrative duties

• Assist in the development of policies and procedures, actively participates in total quality management and process improvement.
• Other duties as assigned.

Heightened Focus on Efficiency-Picture Archival Communication System (PACS)/Imaging

• Processes quality images to ensure accurate and timely interpretation by the radiologist by correctly labeling images with correct date, patient name, radiopharmaceutical, dosage, and properly storing images via Picture Archival Communication System (PACS) ensuring correct patient matching.

Schedule:

Full-Time Day shift 7:00-15:30 M-F. Rotating on-call duties Saturday and Sunday 8:00 am to noon.

Job Description:

Job Requirements

Education

• Must be a graduate of a nuclear medicine program from an accredited college.

Experience

• Experience in related field preferred, but not mandatory.

License/Certifications

• Certified to practice the specialty of Nuclear Medicine Technology (American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) or Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT)) required.
• Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) strongly preferred at time of hire, required within 3 months of hire.
• Requires the ability to provide transportation to other campus locations within a reasonable timeframe.
• Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazmat Radioactive Materials certification is required within 90 days of hire.
• Required Medical Radiography license in Iowa.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

• Able to organize and perform multiple tasks, problem-solve and prioritize work assignments.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills necessary to provide service excellence through verbal and written communication.
• Position requires flexibility to accommodate fluctuation in daily schedule, including but not limited to overtime, irregular hours and on-call responsibilities.

Physical Requirements

Weight Demands

• Medium Work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force.

Physical Activity

• Occasionally Performed (1%-33%):
  • Climbing
  • Crawling
  • Kneeling
  • Sitting
• Frequently Performed (34%-66%):
  • Balancing
  • Carrying
  • Crouching
  • Distinguish colors
  • Keyboarding/typing
  • Lifting
  • Pulling/Pushing
  • Repetitive Motions
  • Standing
  • Stooping/bending
  • Twisting
  • Walking
• Constantly Performed (67%-100%):
  • Fingering/Touching
  • Grasping
  • Hearing
  • Reaching
  • Seeing/Visual
  • Speaking/talking

Job Hazards

• Not Related:
  • Explosives (pressurized gas)
  • Electrical Shock/Static
  • Radiation Alpha, Beta and Gamma (particles such as X-ray, Cat Scan, Gamma Knife, etc)
  • Radiation Non-Ionizing (Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared and microwaves that causes injuries to tissue or thermal or photochemical means)
• Rare (1-33%):
  • Chemical agents (Toxic, Corrosive, Flammable, Latex)
  • Mechanical moving parts/vibrations
• Occasionally (34%-66%):
  • Biological agents (primary air born and blood born viruses) (Jobs with Patient contact) Blood or Body Fluid (BBF)
  • Physical hazards (noise, temperature, lighting, wet floors, outdoors, sharps) (more than ordinary office environment)
  • Equipment/Machinery/Tools

About Methodist:

Nebraska Methodist Health System is made up of four hospitals in Nebraska and southwest Iowa, more than 30 clinic locations, a nursing and allied health college, and a medical supply distributorship and central laundry facility. From the day Methodist Hospital was chartered in 1891, service to our communities has been a top priority. Financial assistance, health education, outreach to our diverse communities and populations, and other community benefit activities have always been central to our mission.

Nebraska Methodist Health System is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by Federal, state or local law.