Cath Lab Technologist

Independence, ingenuity, and initiative, that’s what you bring as a Vascular Xray Technologist. But you also recognize and respect working as a team as you consider the uniqueness and expertise of each physician and co-worker. Afterall, you share a common goal, your patient, and so operating complex technology, applying ionizing radiation or other forms of energy, analyzing blood and oxygen flow is not a skill you take lightly. You know the results could hold the key to your patient's vascular issue or disorder.  

GENERAL DUTIES

Customer Service:

• Continuously displays a positive attitude that contributes to improving patient satisfaction results.
• Applies customer service skills consistent with the organization’s Customer Service programs.
• Utilizes the service recovery process to address customers’ concerns or complaints.
• Treats all customers with dignity, respect, courtesy and compassion.
• Recognizes customer needs and begins to solve problems as soon as they are apparent.
• Interacts with patients, families, visitors, and fellow employees to ensure a professional and courteous environment.
• Displays behaviors which focus on the customer by doing what is appropriate the first time.

Financial Stability:

• Advises supervisor of current or anticipated problems.
• Effectively uses time and resources to accomplish their duties.
• Self-starter who willingly puts forth effort and time and performs tasks with minimal supervision.
• Resolves conflicting matters and schedules with peers and other staff.
• Willingly accepts assignments and completes in a timely fashion.
• Appropriately uses time and attendance system and adheres to related policies and procedures.
• Be aware of possible compliance issues, specifically concerning fraud and abuse. Report these immediately.

Patient Throughput:

• Keeps patients informed and gives periodic updates as appropriate.
• Within the scope of position, positively contributes to organizational goal of patient throughput.

Performance Improvement:

• Actively promotes and support organization's performance improvement initiatives (i.e., participates in ongoing education, cultural change initiatives, etc.)
• Is receptive to differing ideas and embraces change.
• Verbal and written communications are clear, concise and accurate; uses positive non-verbal communication effectively.
• Demonstrates and actively promotes compliance with all state and federal regulatory and accrediting agencies (i.e., patient safety, infection control, HIPAA, etc.)
• Adheres to the Medical Center’s policies and procedures, as well as the Code of Conduct and all laws and regulations. Perform your duties in an ethical manner.
• Ability to work on or with teams to cooperatively reach goals.
• Appropriately documents in accordance with departmental and organizational policies.
• Able to apply job knowledge to improve work processes.

Produces Images of Desired Quality:

• Accomplishes all positions that are related to each procedure without error and applies immobilization devices for patient comfort.
• Selects proper technique factor and produces images of desired quality.

Assists in delivery of care and accepts responsibility of authority:

• Arms the syringe and assists the physician in the delivery of contrast media without error. Arms the injector for delivery of contrast media, has a general knowledge of the injector and is able to identify malfunctions and corrective action.
• Recognizes life threatening situations and acts accordingly to assist members of the health care team.
• Transports patients as necessary and transfers patients to the table without patient complaint.
• Assists in the use of a variety of equipment or procedures not routinely taught.
• Accepts Lead Tech responsibility in their absence and performs in a manner that will not produce any complaints.
• Assists and evaluates students and support personnel in their activities to ensure proper care is provided without deficiencies in the film quality and/or complaints.

Develops film by Automatic and/or Manual Processing:

• Responsible for processing film, producing no artifacts that will cause deficiencies in the results. Produces subtraction print and/or film duplication upon request, without error in a timely manner.
• Supports darkroom personnel in their absence causing no delay in the film processing.
• Ensures that all film and records pertaining to the procedure are transferred to the file room within (1) hour upon completion of exam.

Maintains all Hospital Equipment utilized in performing the duties of this position.

• Inspects, maintains, and cleans all equipment on a daily basis in a manner that will not cause damage or excessive wear; and removes damaged equipment and reports same to appropriate personnel for corrective action.
• Insures that all equipment is properly secured which will not produce loss or damage while not in use.

Implements a philosophy of Learning and identifies own learning needs.

• Attends in-service lectures and reads routine or professional literature such as bulletin boards daily, journals periodically and seeks resources as necessary; and request and attends appropriate out-of-house educational offerings as they pertain to the position.
• Seeks additional information as needed and makes suggestions to improve the established manual.
• Seeks assistance for complex or non-routine learning needs from the Lead Tech or appropriate authority.
• Participates in sterile technique presentations and applies daily.

Ensures calibration to provide accuracy.

• Performs calibration test to satisfy density factors and to meet correct specifications prior to utilization that guarantees no discrepancies in the results.
• Performs proper warming up procedures in a manner that will not result in damage to equipment.

Provides radiation protection in accordance with prescribed standards.

• Understands Radiation Protection and applies daily in a manner that eliminates excessive radiation to the patient and other individuals in the room. Responsible for individual radiation exposure not exceeding standards set by the National Committee on Radiation.
• Demonstrates borders on all images and uses collimation devices to eliminate excessive radiation.
• Questions all female patients of child-bearing years for possibility of pregnancy.

Proper documentation of records and charges as related to position.

• Ensures all films are properly identified in accordance with the department policy without error producing no complaints.
• Status as “IN PROCESS” exams performed prior to or within (5) minutes of ordering exam.
• Provides adequate information on the exam request without error.
• Documents in a timely fashion all pertinent information relative to the patient’s care and charges accordingly.

Miscellaneous functions and responsibilities.

• Accepts special projects and accomplishes each assignment without error within the specified time as directed.
• Ensures that the Director is informed of any situation that may produce staff, patient or physician complaint prior to the complaint being received, and ensures that the Director has all the facts and circumstances on any issue that may result in a complaint.
• Notifies Lead Tech of his/her presence within (7) minutes upon arriving in the department.

EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS

1 year of experience in X-ray, Cath Lab, or radiology special procedures training.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

Radiologic Technologist license by the Louisiana State Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners. (LSRT)

Cardio/Vascular Interventional Radiology Certification by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT) (R)(VI)(CV)

American Heart Association, BLS.