July Experience - Expect the unexpected

Hello again!
Well this past Wednesday was a day that will stay in my mind for quite some time. You could say that it definitely was not a typical day at the facility that I have been observing at.
The second patient that I helped scan was a lady in her mid sixties that came in for an MRI of the foot to see if she had an infection. We do a series of scans without contrast first and then set her up for her next series of scans with contrast. Not more than 4 minutes into the contrast scans the patient presses the emergency contact ball and is coughing like crazy. We pull her out of the machine and the MRI tech tells me to inform the supervisor of the situation, wherein the supervisor tells me to get the Radiologist. I was extremely impressed with the efficiency of the entire staff. Everyone from all the modalities immediately dropped what they were doing to help out. The Radiologist gave the patient Benadryl and continued to observe the patient. Meanwhile, the technologists checked the patients O2 sat, blood pressure and pulse. Once the patient was deemed stable, she was able to leave provided that she have someone drive her home. The Radiologist concluded that the patient was having a panic attack. Again, I was really impressed by how everyone worked together so smoothly.

The rest of the evening was somewhat calmer but we still had a few patients that were unable to complete their scans whether it was due to claustrophobia or they were in to much pain. I hate to say it this way but I am glad these events happened while I was there, not for the patients sake but because it allowed me to see how things are accomplished during a stressful situation. It was a real eye opener and I hope to be as prepared as these great technologist were once I become a certified/registered MRI technologist.
That is my excitement for the week. I hope everyone else is doing great!

July Experience - Accumulating Needed Hours

Hello All,
These past couple of weeks have been a struggle for me. I am slowing getting bits and pieces of the information that I need to MRI a patient but my brain tends to wind down after working at my regular job and then try to absorb more information at the clinic. I commend all the people out there that have families, a full time job and are going to school at the same time - I really don't know how you do it.
I think that I am on schedule with learning everything yet I have this nagging feeling that I am lagging behind. The MRI techs have been wonderful and very encouraging in saying that they all have been there and that it is hard at the beginning to learning everything but to hang in there. I really appreciate the MRI techs that are teaching me because they try to show me as much as humanly possible without trying to overwhelm me.
I seen any interesting scan but at times when I get to the clinic the MRI techs will pull up some unique cases of scans that they do not normally see so that I can be aware to checking for things that aren't so obvious. I tend to look at the smaller picture and have been made to realize that you have to open your eyes to the bigger picture.
I wish I had some exciting stories to tell but maybe with my next blog I will have something more interesting to tell you. I hope that everyone is doing great. Until next time - Have a great weekend.

June/July Experience

Well, it has been awhile since my last blog and I apologize. Time has not been my friend as of late. I have had a tough time getting my observation hours in. I work during the day and I hope that the facility that I go to for clinicals has a full schedule. Obviously, the facility is not always going to have a full load at no fault of their own that is just how it goes but I have been somewhat stressed out.

I am enjoying my time at CDI in Greenwood, Indiana. The MRI techs have been wonderful and very patient. I am starting to get more comfortable with the computer and manipulating the different slices and hope to try my hand at testing out on a knee soon. I tend to set back sometimes and not get in there when I should but I am slowly coming out of my shell.

It is funny how you tend to notice more and more as you go, seeing a possible tear here a cyst there where as before you would not have known one thing from another. I hope that on my next post that I can give you more interesting cases that I have seen along the way.

I hope that everyone is having a great clinical experience!? Have a fantastic Summer!