jeandy
Registered: 07/05/07
Posts: 5
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Reply with quote | #1 |
Hi all
We have a rotation in cath lab where all rotate to scrub, scout, record and basic radiography at Geelong. This has been the practice for the last 10 years. It increases the flexibility with staffing and increases interest for the nurse, technicians and radiographers. How many others are going in this direction? What barriers/resistance do you face? Has it been useful? And what education is available. We have a copy of the RCIS here so we are aware of this trend in America.
Thanks
Jeanette
UNM
Geelong
Australia
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winky0107
Registered: 11/06/07
Posts: 8
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Reply with quote | #2 |
I have been working in fully cross trained labs for my whole career (all in North Carolina)- that's 8 years now. It does increase flexibility, especially on call.
In terms of drug administration, all non-RN personnel must pass a medication exam and an IV drip class before they are signed off on circulating. All staff, including RN's, must do yearly conscious sedation reviews. Documentation of these competencies and education keep JCAHO and CMS happy.
It does eliminate the turf wars that can pop up between nurses and non-nurses. However, there are many labs and many states that only let RN's circulate. There are also states where RT's are the only ones who can step on the fluoro pedal and hit the reset button. It is really a fractured profession in this sense. I'm not sure what the solution is, but I believe making the RCIS a license instead of a certification would go a long way to making the credential more legitimate and respected.
My two cents-
JML
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ferretpants
Moderator
Registered: 01/05/07
Posts: 31
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Reply with quote | #3 |
What worries me are cath labs that allow non-RT staff to operate x-ray equipment without some formal training/competencies/exam etc.
Can anyone actually post a message here telling me that the non-RT staff are actually aware of all dose saving measures (adequate collimation etc., good technique, monitor radiation diagnostic reference levels, fully aware of the effects of ionising radiation on patients, warn cardiologists when they approaching a high dose level ...........
I have seen angios from sites with no formal training and the pics are not pretty.
Anyone stepping up to the plate?
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veitch57
Moderator
Registered: 30/04/07
Posts: 36
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Reply with quote | #4 |
i worked in the middle east for a while, there was a mixture of hospitals setup by the British OR the Americans. There were 2 ways you could tell, 1st was the voltage supply of 110 volts or 240 the other was the "British or US " system of cathlabs. You could always tell the US ones, they 'multi skilled", so a typical angiogram showed lots of "sky" dental work, abdominal things, arms etc and eventually they "found" the heart. of course nobody was any good at anything. Great for people doing rosters, crap for getting quality angiograms. Of course it can be done with good results but it is a challenge. Cheers.
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ferretpants
Moderator
Registered: 01/05/07
Posts: 31
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Reply with quote | #5 |
Yeh we got some of those in the UK. There are 7 non radiography labs out there and the figure is growing, us radiographers need to do something about this before we become obsolete in the lab
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