xraykay

The tech you speak of sounds like an ass and is an embarrassment to our profession. I always say that those who brag have little to brag about and are trying to make up for deficiencies in their personal lives. They try to bring you down to feel better about themselves. Don't let her do that to you. I am a Radiologic Technologist, Mammographer and in the process of Training in CT. We are not just button pushers (in most states). We go to college year round for 3 years (includes all our field related prerequisites) or 4 years w/summers off. Many programs require prospective students to score a B or better on the nursing entrance exams to qualify for the program. We learn pathology, nuclear physics, about everything you can learn about radiation, biological physics, pharmacology, health care ethics, how to insert an IV and all that goes along with that responsibility, all of the structures of the entire body, HIS/RIS, PACS and several other computer software systems; quality control for film processing, CR and DR equipment of various types, how to know the exact number of Milliamps, fractions of second and Kilovolts Peak is necessary to get the appropriate dose of radiation for every exam, every body part for every age, size, shape, distance of the tube from the patient and the image receptor, magnification and with or without various types of contrast; what to do in case of extravasation or reactions to contrast or even just the run of the mill health care issues. We learn how to adjust for different types of grids, and angles - foreshortening and elongation, divergence of the beam, and the effects of the angle of the xray beam hitting the anode effects the path of the ray and when it enters the patient's body/passes through it and exposes the image on the image receptor; understand the attenuation of the radiation as it passes through skin, fat, muscle, contrast, fluids and so on. We also have to understand how to monitor patients just as a nurse would and what to do if something happens. We have to lift and shift patients and move heavy equipment which is very hard on the body. There are over 200 basic positions in general x-ray alone for an average person that we have to learn to adjust - for ht, wgt, age, shape, pathology, doctor preference, and so on. We learn to observe these patients and figure out exactly how to adjust positioning and exposure factors in order to see every bone, organ and so on in just the right angle...including joint spaces 'opened' up in just the right way; being able to view every bony process, fissure, fossa and on and on. We have to know how everything is supposed to appear under the skin. We learn the inner workings of the organs so we know exactly when to expose and what results to expect. We aren't just winging it. A credentialed and properly trained technologist just makes it look as easy as pushing a few buttons. General x-ray, orthopedic, fluoroscopic, surgical, pain management, C-arm, portable x-ray are all different and we learn them all. Then many of us go back to learn mammography, CT, Radiation Therapy, MRI, Nuc Med, Pet Scan, and so on. Many of us now need to know 2 or more modalities in order to be considered for a job. We have to do enemas and clean up messes that nurses also deal with. We deal with vomit and some of the nastiest bowel movements just as nurses do. In all GI studies we have to know exactly when the contrast will make it through the colon, to the small bowel or through the esophagus, duodenum, jejunum, stomach, etc. to position and expose patients at the right time. GI studies are rapid fire, multiple positions and images. We also have to know the vessels, veins, and every organ down to every fiber and function. Your comments about Rad Techs belittle the immense amount of skill and knowledge a fully trained and credentialed Technologist must have in order to earn the income we are earning. We are not at all happy that there are states (GA, NC, ID, MO, NV, AL, MI, ND, SD, and NH) that do weekend training programs to teach people to push buttons and call them Technicians. I don't know the pay grade for those techs, but as a credentialed, multi-modality Technologist, with my education and skills, I EARN my pay. I do what I do because I love my work. Don't let that woman or anyone else derail your desire to be a nurse. It is an honorable profession and takes a special person to take on that role. Pay ranges are very close for both professions and vary from state to state and between credentialed techs and people just trained of the street - usually. You can go to Salary.com to see what ranges you should expect all over the country, down to the zip code where you plan to work. I know pay grades are going down due to the recession, however so that and part-time or float pool pay grades will not be reflected. I personally feel that nobody should be able to work in Health Care just because the pay is good - they don't make good health care professionals. Both professions take a great deal of knowledge and skill. Both professions require continuing education. Please remember that before you say we are undeserving of equal or greater pay. People in general have very little knowledge and understanding of our profession.