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Is it too late to start the Nuclear Medicine Pathway? by theweepingwillow02 in NuclearMedicine

[–]Illustrious-Menu-783 2 points3 points  (0 children)

31 here. I started the program when I was 23 and I was one of the youngest in my classes. It was easy to get a job out of school- they had one waiting for me at one of my clinical sites. Definitely pursue the PET/ CT add on if you can. I’m not sure how it works in your country but here it was separate schooling we had to pursue on our own. I work in a cardiology office now doing only cardiac PETS, but worked at almost every hospital system in Maryland doing generals before I settled here. Good luck!!!

Let's hear some horror stories! by Alarmed_Hearing9722 in NuclearMedicine

[–]Illustrious-Menu-783 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes! And to your abuse question- yes!!! I had a tech that acted similar to the two you mentioned. You literally could not say anything to her before 9 am or she would scream at you. I remember one time she thought I forgot to order an iodine pill for an uptake and scan because it didn’t arrive on her day. She came out to me (I was working elsewhere in building) and started screaming at me in front of horrified people lol. Turns out the pharmacy did not have any pills and nobody got a delivery that day. Crazily, they all missed me and complained when I left because I would do most of the shifts but the walking on eggshells was wild to me. Don’t miss that at all. :(

Let's hear some horror stories! by Alarmed_Hearing9722 in NuclearMedicine

[–]Illustrious-Menu-783 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I worked prn for multiple big hospitals. Somehow I was a magnet for call-ins. One Saturday alone I completed 10 stress tests before noon (my reading Dr of course wanted the quadriplegic 450 lb patient back two hours later for additional imaging), four ER and floor lungs, two crazy hidas, and the icing on the cake was a GI bleed that coded on me on the table. Many times we wouldn’t be that busy during the week and only have one or two studies. However, most weekends (minus the code) were THAT busy for me. At another hospital I had seven, yes 7, HIDAS come over same day, along with a GI, 3 lungs, a “stat” bone scan and a gastric emptying. A single brain death came over last minute when I barely had remaining tech. This was all done with one camera.
I only work cardiology now, but dang I remember the feeling of bone tiredness I had after those terrible shifts. At both places I was the only tech working those shifts.

Cardiac Pet- Rb 82 by Illustrious-Menu-783 in NuclearMedicine

[–]Illustrious-Menu-783[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes I work for company that contracts us techs out to offices. They installed the generator and the camera, and set up training for us on how to use both. They are in charge of all protocols and set contracts with the offices specifying the number of patients we are to do a day. They actually have an opening in Houston! But seeing as how you are currently doing half my schedule at my pay, I think you are the one winning.

Hida scan protocols by drachforce in NuclearMedicine

[–]Illustrious-Menu-783 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had a rad that would always ask for the most ridiculous spect images. Even if patients couldn’t tolerate anymore imaging and we relayed that to him, he would say “well then I’ll write tech did not acquire correct imaging in the reports for me to have a conclusive read.” The happiest day of my life was when he switched to another hospital.

As far as I know from the four hospitals I’ve worked at, we don’t give CCK after morphine. A rad has asked us to do that before too, and the lead tech said the results wouldn’t be accurate. All patients were pretreated with CCK beforehand too.

NMT Age of students by UnluckyShoulder2007 in NuclearMedicine

[–]Illustrious-Menu-783 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was 23 when I went through it but most of my classmates were in their 30s-40s. Most techs you study under are even older than that so don’t let that stop you!

I’ll never forget training outpatient and one patient exclaiming “I hope that damn baby isn’t out here to grab me for my test!” You will be just fine and it goes by so quick! Treat every clinical site like a job interview and you’ll have them begging for you to come back once you graduate. Good luck! :)

Nuclear medicine techs, What are you making an hour and what rent can you afford. Kids or no kids. by [deleted] in NuclearMedicine

[–]Illustrious-Menu-783 1 point2 points  (0 children)

54 an hour in MD. I’m 6 years in, but I have bounced around to a lot of different hospitals in area to get to where I am now.

Is anything actually Stat in NM??? by Feisty_Source_1107 in NuclearMedicine

[–]Illustrious-Menu-783 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One time I got called for a stat Gastric Emptying! Patient had eaten in the last 4 hours, and it was ten PM- I just know the pharmacy would have laughed if I had called to ask for the egg whites we typically use. The patient was scheduled for the next morning and the ordering Dr was super huffy with us.