What to Expect as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist
This blog is now focused on laboratory specialties. This article is here for your information only, as jobs are longer provided for any radiation technician specialties.
Nuclear medicine works by using radionuclides, which are unstable atoms that emit radiation. These atoms are used to diagnose and treat disease. A nuclear medicine technologist
administers these atoms, which are compounded and purified to form radiopharmaceuticals, to patients. Then a nuclear medicine technologist watches how the tissues react to the radiopharmaceuticals in order to see abnormal areas that represent disease. Then nuclear medicine technologists use cameras thatmap the radiopharmaceuticals in the patient’s body and creates diagnostic images. A nuclear medicine technologist explains the procedure to patients, prepare the radiation dosage,administer the dosage, and then position patients in order to scan them to see the map of the radiation in the patient’s body.
A nuclear medicine technologist must be in good physical condition, because they will be on their feet most of the day and may have to lift or turn patients. Usually nuclear medicine technologists work 40 hour weeks, sometimes including weekend and evening shifts. Although, there are many part time jobs available too.
Because there has been an ongoing increase in the number of middle aged and elderly people, nuclear medicine technologists will enjoy fast job growth, although because the field is so specialized there may not be a great number of job openings. The field of nuclear medicine technology may expand, due to technological advancement. There will probably be new nuclear medicine treatments discovered as well.
To become a nuclear medicine technologist it is necessary to complete a program which may be as short as one year or as long as four, depending on whether to student wishes to obtain a certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree is often necessary for advancement into management positions.
Learn about hiring a nuclear medicine technologist, or find a job as a nuclear medicine technolgogist.
Source:
- (December 18, 2007) Nuclear Medicine Technologists. U.S. Department of Labor, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos104.htm
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