Clinical Experience 4 NMED 4090

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Adapt to the new workplace and clinical rotation with respect to examination protocols, equipment, processing techniques, documentation and workflow.
• Communicate and cooperate with the department staff and healthcare team.
• Apply safe principles of patient care.
• Apply safety principles in areas of patient handling, infection control and radiation protection.
• Verify that the requested procedure is appropriate for the suspected pathology before commencing procedure.
• Ensure proper patient preparation has occurred, check for any study contraindications, and respond.
• Explain procedures clearly & audibly at an appropriate level to ensure patient understanding, cooperation & consent.
• Correctly assess the patient’s status regarding pregnancy or breastfeeding and respond.
• Consistently position the patient and camera for optimal images using landmarks and relational anatomy.
• Correctly select, draw up and administer radiopharmaceuticals intravenously or orally.
• Correctly set up and acquire CT scans for Attenuation Correction and Localization.
• Critically evaluate the technical and diagnostic quality of the images and respond.
• Set up and perform tasks in an efficient and methodical manner.
• Correctly select and perform appropriate protocols for acquisition and processing.
• Consult with the physician as required prior to patient release.

If rotations include the radiopharmacy, in addition to the above skills the student will be able to demonstrate increasing levels of competence in a range of applicable skills:

• Assume a lead role in running the radiopharmacy.
• Follow established radiopharmacy protocols correctly and consistently.
• Draw kit activity and doses safely and correctly within an acceptable time frame.
• Prepare kits safely and correctly following department protocols.
• Correctly perform kit QC and know when a preparation can be released.
• Verify accuracy of all data entry in the radiopharmacy.
• Suggest and incorporate variations in radiopharmacy routine to adapt to schedule changes.
• Apply critical thinking and problem solving strategies to ensure best practices.
• Be able to recognize errors in the radiopharmacy, and take corrective action.
• Perform calculations correctly and consistently.
• Assess quantitative data for accuracy and validity.

For PET/CT rotations, the student will also be expected to demonstrate increasing levles competence in the following skills:

• Correctly set up and acquire CT scans for Attenuation Correction, localization and diagnostics.

Effective as of Spring/Summer 2016