X-ray.. :( or :)

Editorial Team / Admin · May 31, 2008

They're pretty much like the nurses: some like it and some don't.

Some do a great job, some are sloppy and not patient-oriented.

Some areas are ALWAYS busy, in a large medical center: the OR, portables rotation, the BE or IVP room, etc.

You might want to shadow a tech and ask your questions, as there are MANY areas in the Radiology Dept in which they can work.

Not all are cross-trained in MRI or CT or PET or Nuc. Med. or Rad. Therapy, those techs usually are specially-trained and remain in that area.

MikeyJ, RN · May 31, 2008

There is an x-ray tech in my soon-to-be-graduating nursing class. She was an x-ray tech for 5 years. She enjoyed her job and actually made better money then a lot of nurses, but from what I have gathered, she eventually tired from the job because it was monotonous and had almost no autonomy (she was told where to go and what to do). She said she was fairly busy because she was usually assigned to the ER.

Like the other poster said, you can cross train and get certifications for specialty-areas.

On another note, I once shadowed an x-ray tech who became certified as an ultrasound tech. She didn't really enjoy her job because she sat in the same chair all day long and did ultrasounds.

Thus, I really think it will depend on what you are looking for in a career. Are you looking for autonomy where you can make some decisions about your patients and collaborate with the doctors about patient care and do bedside care.. or are you looking to do work where there is very little autonomy, perform a similar task throughout your entire shift, and not really have prolonged patient contact?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 31, 2008

I was recently thinking of cross-training to become an x-ray tech.

I find something very appealing in not having to be with the same demanding patient for an entire 8 to 16 hour shift, and not having to deal with the same sarcastic physicians or abusive family members all day.

CHATSDALE · May 31, 2008

anything you learn will be a plus, and in every job there are chances to progress in supervisiory positions

make your self proficient and take pride in your work

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · May 31, 2008

As others have said, it's a very wide-open field.

It's also not limited to hospital work. There are radiologists who have their own outpatient facilities who employ techs- their techs work "office hours." There are also companies which have portable x-ray and/or ultrasound machines that go to the patient. For example, a nursing home patient may have fallen, and the x-ray machine is taken to the home to take the x-rays, rather than transporting the resident. Portable ultrasound machines can be taken to clinics or rural hospitals on a regular or as-needed basis to perform ultrasounds on patients, rather than have the patients go to another facility. This service is often contracted out, and some of these portable businesses are owned by the technicians themselves. I know a couple, husband and wife, who do this and have been very successful financially, and who are very happy in their careers. (They did not, of course, start off right out of school; they gained experience, reputations as great technicians, and saved lots of $$ first).

Then too you have to think about what you would get the most satisfaction from. Would a busy ER with lots of variety and action suit you? Or would you like to be very good at doing one thing? Mammogram technicians, for example, are quite specialized. They basically do the same thing all day. However, they also need to be the kind of people who are good at putting anxious, reluctant ladies (and the occasional gentleman) at their ease. That could be very rewarding, if it suits your personality. I know one tech who is marvelous at her job. She works with a mobile unit, so she and a nurse travel to outlying clinics on a regularly scheduled basis to do mammograms. She's fantastic with her patients and obviously loves what she does. Other than her partner RN, she doesn't have to work with the same people every day, though, and I think she likes that too.

I agree with the advice to job shadow if you can, but keep in mind that there are many different settings for radiology techs (even oncology, where they work with cancer patients) both in and outside the hospital, so take a good look around before you decide. Good luck! (Sure we need nurses, but we need radiology folks too!!)