A Day in the Life of a Diagnostic Radiographer
If you're thinking about starting a career in diagnostic radiography, one of our alumni, James, has written about what a typical day in the life of a newly-qualified radiographer is like.
It’s 8am and I arrive in the Radiology Department to start my day as a newly qualified radiographer. The phone rings and there is an emergency case requiring fluoroscopy in the Urology Theatre; a patient has been admitted with bilateral kidney stones that have become trapped in the ureters. With the kidneys being unable to maintain excretion through to the bladder the patient is immediately anaesthetised and the theatre team is assembled.
After changing into theatre scrubs I enter the theatre and set up the x-ray equipment. The uncovered area of the patient was washed with sterilising solution and a scope was inserted through the urethra allowing a camera to visualise the internal aspect of the bladder, ureters and kidneys. Directed by the surgeon I allow the doctor to visualise via X-ray where his scope is and using a contrast agent visible on X-ray we are able to locate the kidney stones. The stones are broken down using lithotripsy (high frequency ultrasound shock waves) and the resulting dust passes into the bladder where it can be passed in the urine without issue.
Directed by the surgeon I allow the doctor to visualise via X-ray where his scope is and using a contrast agent visible on X-ray we are able to locate the kidney stones.
After finishing in Urology Theatre I come back down to general X-ray. I pick up an X-ray request for a patient that had been in a RTC (Road Traffic Collision) – the doctor has requested plain film imaging of the cervical spine, pelvis and chest. The doctor was concerned that the young lady had potentially fractured her neck and pelvis and was querying a pneumothorax (an abnormal collection of air or gas in the chest that causes part or all of a lung to collapse). As per the trauma protocol, the patient arrives on a trolley with her head secured using blocks. She is clearly traumatised and in a significant amount of pain. I introduce myself and bring her into the X-ray room. Through positioning the X-ray tube and trolley in a number of locations I produce a series of diagnostic images which identify a potential fracture through C4 (the 4th cervical vertebra). I document my suspicions to alert the medical team.
I pick up an x-ray request for a patient that had been in a RTC (Road Traffic Collision) – the doctor has requested plain film imaging of the cervical spine, pelvis and chest.
It is nearing 12:30 and one of the lead radiographers asks me to assist with a busy list in CT to cover lunch breaks. The first patient to be scanned was the lady involved in the earlier RTC – the doctor had requested a head and neck scan to rule out a brain haemorrhage and seek clarification of the extent of the neck fracture. The patient is still immobilised and the team of a porter, two radiographers and a nurse help to ‘pat-slide’ the patient on to the scanning table. I position the patient within the scanner, reassuring her that the scan does not take long. I then proceed to the control room to set up the scan parameters with the help of a CT radiographer.
Thankfully both scans are reported quickly by a radiologist and the head scan is deemed normal, however the neck fracture is confirmed and the patient is hastily transported to Kings College Hospital for further assessment and potential surgery.
I am relieved from CT, have a bite to eat and then return to general X-ray. There is a paediatric out-patient clinic running that afternoon focusing on hip disorders. Communicating with young children and parents to achieve optimal imaging whilst adhering to radiation protection guidance is not always easy. Learning to use appropriate exposure factors and lead protection improves image quality and also reduces radiation dose to the patient. This is important when X-raying young patients as the cells in their body are continually dividing as they grow and develop, and exposure to radiation increases the likelihood of genetic mutations, statistically increasing the lifetime chance of cancer.
This is important when X-raying young patients as the cells in their body are continually dividing as they grow and develop, and exposure to radiation increases the likelihood of genetic mutations, statistically increasing the lifetime chance of cancer.
Days in the life of a newly qualified radiographer are never the same; there are constant challenges to safely achieve diagnostic images and endless opportunities to progress within the field. Although at times it can be a stressful and demanding job, it is equally rewarding knowing that you are part of the team providing the highest quality patient care. The role of the radiographer is constantly evolving as we take on an increasing number of duties that were previously the remit of radiologists. It is an exciting time to enter radiography and I’m looking forward to enhancing my skills before choosing a speciality of my own.
The role of the radiographer is constantly evolving as we take on an increasing number of duties that were previously the remit of radiologists.