Morgan Zwick submitted 2020-01-14
It is inevitable that when working in the field of radiographic science you will encounter situations that require life saving techniques. When working daily performing CT or MRI scans, there will be critical situations where at any time the patient could require life support techniques. Therefore, as a radiographer you have to be confident with the skills you have been educated on to make the best decision for the patient. I enjoy the fast pace of emergency situations and I am able to stay calm and quickly evaluate a situation before moving forward. Determining which position you need the patient to be in for the scans is the biggest part of staying calm and relaxed because they may not be able to perform some of the positions that are needed. With that being said, you have to come up with alternative positions, so you get the correct pictures for the radiologist. These skills along with my education help with ensuring I am able to act on a life-threatening situation if it should happen.
When I arrive at work daily, I know I will have to be mentally prepared for whatever might happen. To do this, I will stay focused so I am aware of the early signs that a patient may have. I am confident that when using the skills I have been taught and implementing the experiences I will deliver the best possible patient care that I can. If possible, I will talk with the patient to make sure they are comfortable and doing well. If the patient is unconscious, I will work closely with my colleagues to ensure that we are aware of any warning signs that may occur. To me, being prepared mentally means to be ready for whatever might happen. It is important to have confidence in using the skills I have been taught to help the patient in the best way that they may need. I believe that by staying focused on patient care, I will be able to perform life saving techniques that will help to save the patient’s life at the moment. With any type of emergency medical care, there will be emotion. There could be feelings of success and happiness to be celebrated. There could be exhaustion, sadness and even painful feelings when someone is left in a very critical state or even death. Following the medical treatment, I will try my hardest to not have emotion show. Health care providers learn to lean on each other for support. They celebrate the successes together and also support and comfort each other in tragic times. Counseling is an option as well.
Being a health care provider requires discipline on a daily basis. The healthcare provider should maintain a healthy lifestyle so they are physically able to keep up in a fast-paced work environment. In an emergency situation, it is imperative that the healthcare provider is in excellent physical condition to perform whatever lifesaving support that is needed. Healthcare providers need to get 7-8 hours of sleep daily because they have other people’s lives in their hands. If they are unable to perform simple daily tasks, they can potentially put patients’ lives in danger. Exercise, sleep and a well-balanced diet are the top three components.
The best advice/insight I have for other students that are entering the radiographic science field is to study hard so you are confident in the patient care skills that you have received. Be confident in yourself and do not hesitate. Every patient needs different kinds of treatment, so you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times and be confident in your judgement to help your patients. Balance your diet, eating right will help you as a healthcare provider feel so much better and be able to move fast in life threatening situations. Be confident and ready to help our patients with whatever they need.
In conclusion, I believe that being educated in helping patients with life threatening issues is a reward. Performing CT or MRI scans on patients is a very critical step in their diagnosis. These scans can provide many different warning signs for the patient. For example, a CT scan is faster and can provide pictures of tissues, organs, and skeletal structure. Therefore, an MRI is highly adept at capturing images that help doctors determine if there are abnormal tissues within the body. MRIs are more detailed in their images. The skills that you are educated with in college can save many lives, but every patient in a different way. Be confident with the skills that you learned.