omiart

perhaps the reason why the x-ray tech's roles and responsibilities are so enshrouded in mystery is due to the fact that we work alone in dark rooms lined with lead. so maybe its time for some input from someone who has at least seen the inside of an x-ray room. first of all, for those of you who are wondering "what does an x-ray tech even do?" let me just start by saying that an x-ray beam is not as magical as you think it is. it isn't rocket science, but there is a lot of thought that goes into producing a decent, useful x-ray. let me give you an idea, try isolating the odontoid of the c2 vertebra from all the surrounding bones on an image. now try doing that on your first try. thats one view on what could be anything from a 3 to 5 view series of just the c-spine. now do that on a patient who is lying in a stretcher and wearing a collar. when it's your turn to be x-rayed i bet you'll be glad you have a licensed professional dedicated to imaging to do it instead of a nurse or even a doctor zapping away at you all day.

Wow, I am just really appalled at the ignorance that is spewing from some of the RNs on this thread. Apparently, some people here find it o.k. to assert things about radiography (and in a condescending manner I might add!) when they are really just based on assumptions. Don't be afraid to zip it if you don't know. No good can come of perpetrating false knowledge (except perhaps boosting your ego =P). First, the point about rad techs not having any training in reading X-rays and diagnosing pathology is false. We are trained to recognize quite a list of pathologies and not just fractures. Of course, we aren't the ones responsible for making an official diagnosis and we are not allowed to discuss our findings with the patient. But a majority of the time, we know what the patient has after we've seen the X-ray. Secondly, believe it or not, it is possible and not uncommon for rad techs (at least in Toronto) to make over 100k a year. The conditions are that you work at a non-unionized hospital and that you work an additional, casual job. It's not easy but it's doable and many people do it. This is especially true for young rad techs if they haven't settled down yet and still have the energy. If you're young and in radiography you're in a good position to make quite a bit of money. But to be fair, Toronto has relatively high wages compared to other cities in Canada. Both RNs and Rad Techs (without specialization) start with $27 at unionized hospitals. If you are at a non-unionized hospital, compensation is much higher. I'm not trying to make it seem like being a rad tech is super awesome I just want to enlighten some of you who seem to be in the dark about the field . There are definite cons to the profession and I personally hate it. But I find some of the things said about radiography insulting and ignorant. RNs, please don't lecture others about a profession that you're not actually involved in. Thanks.