Radiologic Technology and Infection Control

2024 Patient Care Review

• Patient Care exam has 33 questions out of 200 on the registry exam.
• The Content Specifications are a list of topics, not a full curriculum guide.
• The guide can be found at: https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/406ac8c6-58e8-00b3-e3c1-0c312965deb2/c28cf141-f45c-44ef-acde-984929886e01/RAD%20C%20S%202022.pdf

Chapter 1

• Introduction to Imaging and Radiologic Sciences

Chapter 2

• Professional Organizations
• Image of medical professional assisting a child on an x-ray table (Courtesy Philips Medical Systems)

Terms

• Accreditation: Voluntary peer review process for educational programs meeting specific criteria
• Certification: Voluntary process for demonstrating professional skills often through an examination
• Licensure: Governmental process granting permission to practice a profession
• Registry: List of individuals with certifications in a particular profession

JRCERT

• Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
• Publishes the Standards for radiologic technology programs, setting minimum requirements for accreditation.

ARRT

• American Registry of Radiologic Technologists
• Encourages the study of radiologic technology and elevates its standards.
• Examines and certifies candidates.
• Maintains a registry of registered individuals.

ASRT

• American Society of Radiologic Technologists (founded in 1920)
• Creates and maintains Practice Standards and curriculum guidelines.
• Aims to advance the profession and improve patient care.
• Publishes educational materials and journals.

Chapter 5

• Introduction to Clinical Education

Terms

• Learning objectives: Concise descriptions of observable student behaviors
• Competency: Observable and successful achievement of performance objectives.
• Learning outcomes: Program-level, measurable expectations for student learning.
• Observe-Assist-Perform: Stages of clinical education

Chapter 17

• Infection Control

Establishment of Infectious Disease

• Vector: Carrier (usually an arthropod) that transfers an infectious agent from one host to another.
• Fomite: Object capable of harboring pathogenic organisms and spreading infection.

Precautions

• Standard Precautions: Applied to all patients, regardless of infection status. Emphasizes hand hygiene and PPE usage.
• Transmission-Based Precautions: Specific to certain infections. Includes contact (e.g., C. diff), airborne (e.g., TB), and droplet (e.g., Flu)
• Hand washing: Most effective method of preventing infection spread

Chapter 11

• Patient Interactions

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• Each level of need must be met before moving to the next.
• Physiological needs are basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing.
• If physiological needs aren't met, a patient may not feel a sense of safety.

Nonverbal Communication

• Paralanguage: "Music of language" - pitch, tone, stress, pauses, volume, etc
• Body language, Touch/Palpation
• Professional appearance, Personal hygiene, Physical presence, Visual contact

Age Groups

• Categorization of patients based on age range. Includes infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults, and mature adults.

Stages of Grief

• Use the acronym DABDA to represent the stages of grief. (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance)
• Important concepts for working with terminally ill patients: autonomy, advance directive, DNR.

Chapter 12

• History Taking
• Six elements of effective history taking include open-ended questions, facilitation, silence, probing questions, repetition, and summarization.
• Sacred Seven elements include localization, chronology, quality, severity, onset, aggravating/alleviating factors, and associated manifestations

Chapter 13

• Biomechanics and Ergonomics
• Diagrams of the human body showing relevant anatomical structures

Transferring Patients

• Types of wheelchair transfers include assisted standing pivot, two-person lift, standby assist, and hydraulic lift. Number of people for a cart transfer varies depending on patient needs and special conditions like a cervical collar.

Chapter 14

• Immobilization Techniques

Simple vs. Involved Immobilization

• Various immobilization techniques, including positioning sponges, stability bars, Velcro straps, sandbags, head clamps, tape, and stockinette.
• Importance of good communication for effective immobilization.

Chapter 18

• Aseptic Techniques

What is Asepsis?

• Protecting patients from infection and preventing pathogen spread. Two types:
  • Surgical Asepsis: Sterile techniques before, during, and after surgery.
  • Medical Asepsis: Removing or destroying infected materials

Sterile (Aseptic) Procedures

• Dressing changes, tracheostomies, chest tubes, catheters, insertion of central lines, and pacemakers.

Principles of Sterile Technique

• Using only sterile equipment in sterile fields.
• Treating doubt as unsterile.
• Continuous monitoring of sterile fields.
• Creating sterile fields close to use.
• Avoiding contact between sterile and unsterile areas.
• Maintaining sterility.

Chapter 19

• Nonaseptic Techniques

Nonsterile (Nonaseptic) Procedures

• Nasogastric tubes, urinals, bedpans, enemas, and colostomies. Instructions on NG tube placement, positioning.

Chapter 15

• Vital Signs, Oxygen, Chest Tubes, and Lines
• Various medical equipment, including blood pressure cuffs and monitors.

Normal Vital Signs

• Ranges for temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure for adults and children.

PICC Line

• Central venous lines. Insertion site often the subclavian vein.

ET Tube

• Preferred location for the endotracheal tube (ET tube) insertion: 1-2 inches above the carina.

Chest Tube

• Used for pneumothorax, hemothorax, pleural effusion, and empyema.
• Insertion site: 5th-6th intercostal space, laterally at the midaxillary line

Types of Tubes/Lines

• Swan-Ganz (pulmonary arterial catheter), PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter), Miller-Abbott (nasogastric tube), Broviac/Hickman/Leonard/Groshong (central venous catheters), and Dobhoff (nasogastric tube).

Chapter 24

• Professional Ethics for Medical Imaging Personnel
• Discusses ethical considerations within the context of medical imaging.

System-Application-Control-Enabling Source-Sanctions

• Frameworks for understanding ethics, laws, and morals in the context of professional practice.

Ethical Evaluations

• Differentiating professional ethics vs. etiquette, and ethical outrage vs. dilemmas.
• 4 step process for ethical evaluations: identifying the problem, developing solutions, selecting the best solution, and defending the selection.

Chapter 25

• Health Informatics and Information Management

Chapter 25

• Performance Improvement
• Includes activities for improving performance, risk management, infection control, surgical case review, medication usage evaluation, health record review, blood usage and case management. -Electronic Medical Records: Accuracy, Security, Accessibility, and Transferability.

Chapter 26

• Medical Law

Terms

• Differentiating between implied and informed consent.
• Key elements of an informed consent form. (Authorization, Disclosure, Anesthesia, No guarantee, Tissue-disposal, Patient understanding, and Signature clauses)

2024 Patient Care I Final Exam

• Details are provided in the last slide. Exam date is Wednesday, December 11th, at 8:30 am.