Mammography Technologist

Job Summary

• Must be flexible with work hours to meet department needs.

• Must be dependable, accountable, and cooperative.

• Assists with providing safe, age-appropriate care to the patient by performing all exams provided by the department according to department procedures.

• Has the knowledge and ability to properly and safely obtain a quality diagnostic study.

• Responsible for performing a wide variety of technical procedures requiring independent judgment, ingenuity, and initiative in the utilization of equipment for the diagnosis and/or treatment of diseases.

• Able to independently perform job functions.

• Sets up the equipment to provide imaging service and positions patient for the procedure.

• Must maintain minimum FDA/MQSA requirements for continuing education, experience, and equipment.

• Patient care

  • Obtains complete clinical history, gathers examination data, and assesses for contraindicating conditions.

  • Ensures all studies have proper patient identification and right/left markers are utilized appropriately.

  • Reviews radiographic images for clinically acceptable results and releases patients.

  • Responds to emergency situations.

  • Uses critical thinking skills.

  • Seeks clarification on ambiguous orders.

  • Assists other technologists in all modalities when needed.

  • Observes patient condition and properly evaluates situations when physician intervention is necessary to prevent deterioration due to misjudgment.

  • Verifies two unique patient identifiers per policy and verifies proper clinician order prior to performing a procedure.

  • Ensures patient’s privacy and comfort is accommodated.

  • Demonstrates competence in determining and applying appropriate procedures, equipment, supplies, and techniques based on patient age.

  • Understands, demonstrates, and documents Pre-Procedure Verification and Time-Out process when appropriate, if applicable.

  • Demonstrates and understands pre- and post-procedural care, if applicable.

  • Demonstrates and understands sterile technique, if applicable.

  • Organizes schedule, time, and priorities so that required activities are accomplished within designated time frames.

  • Follows physician’s instructions when assisting with procedures and exams.

  • Practices RBAC (Read Back and Confirm) when taking verbal orders.

• Equipment

  • Demonstrates the ability to adjust technique so that the patient receives the best study possible while maintaining image quality.

  • Reports problems regarding malfunctioning equipment to the supervisor or service provider so that issues can be corrected in a timely manner.

  • Cleans, disinfects, and maintains equipment in accordance with infection control policy and department cleaning schedule.

  • Ability to properly operate all radiographic equipment in a safe and competent manner, ensuring equipment is not abused and is left in good working order.

• Education and communication

  • Patiently and clearly explains the purpose and nature of the exam to the patient prior to starting the procedure, minimizing anxiety and facilitating cooperation using AIDET (Acknowledge, Introduce, Discuss, Explain, Thank).

  • Ensures patient’s questions, concerns, or contraindications are satisfactorily addressed; notifies physician when this cannot be accomplished prior to initiating the procedure.

  • Participates in the orientation and training of departmental employees.

  • Provides patients with preparatory instruction and explanation of procedures.

  • Ensures required documentation is concise, legible, and includes precise terminology.

  • Reads email each day scheduled to work and follows through with assignments.

  • Completes mandatory departmental and hospital-wide education without prompting.

• Quality control

  • Produces acceptable images, maintaining a first-time acceptance rate of 95 percent.

  • Ensures equipment is fully operational prior to each use by checking for proper calibration and operating deficiencies.

  • Completes all studies in RIS; ensures images are oriented, marked, labeled, and noted correctly prior to sending all studies to PACS; prints CDs as necessary.

  • When submitting procedures for interpretation, digitizes comparative studies if necessary and completes the preliminary sheet in its entirety, if…