Radiographer

Radiographers use a range of technologies to examine, treat and care for patients. They work in the fields of Medical Imaging, Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine and apply ionising radiation, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and radioactive sources.

Radiographers typically perform the following tasks:

• Patient Preparation: Prepare patients for imaging procedures by explaining the process, answering questions, and positioning patients correctly to ensure high-quality images.
• Image Acquisition: Operate imaging equipment to capture diagnostic images, ensuring proper settings and protocols are followed.
• Equipment Maintenance: Regularly inspect and maintain imaging equipment to ensure it is functioning properly and safely.
• Safety Protocols: Implement radiation safety measures to protect patients, themselves, and others from unnecessary exposure to radiation.
• Image Analysis: Review and analyze images for quality and clarity before forwarding them to physicians for interpretation.
• Documentation: Maintain accurate patient records, including imaging results and procedural details.
• Collaboration: Work closely with radiologists, physicians, and other healthcare professionals to discuss imaging results and assist in diagnosis.
• Continuous Education: Stay updated on advancements in radiographic techniques, equipment, and safety procedures through continuous education and training.

The following job titles also refer to radiographer:

nuclear medicine technologist
medical radiation technologist
clinical radiography practitioner
nuclear medicine technician
radiotherapist
practitioner of radiography
radiation therapy technician
specialist radiographer
clinical radiographer
expert radiographer

Radiographers work in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, diagnostic imaging centers, and private practices. The work environment is typically clean, well-lit, and equipped with sophisticated imaging technology. Radiographers may be required to stand for extended periods and assist with moving or positioning patients, which can be physically demanding. They must adhere to strict safety and hygiene protocols to minimize exposure to radiation and ensure a safe environment for patients and staff. Work hours can vary and may include nights, weekends, and holidays, especially in hospital settings where imaging services are needed 24/7.

To become a Radiographer, the following educational background and experience are typically required:

1. Education: An associate degree in radiologic technology from an accredited program is the minimum requirement. Some positions may require a bachelor’s degree for advanced roles. Coursework includes anatomy, physiology, patient care, radiation physics, and imaging techniques.
2. Certification: Certification is required in many regions and is typically obtained through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) or equivalent certifying bodies. Certification ensures the technologist meets professional standards and is competent in radiologic practices.
3. Licensure: Licensure requirements vary by state or region. Radiographers must pass a state or national exam to become licensed to practice.
4. Training: Clinical training is a crucial part of radiography education, providing hands-on experience in imaging procedures under the supervision of experienced professionals.
5. Experience: Previous experience in a healthcare setting can be beneficial, though not always required. Entry-level positions are often available for new graduates, with opportunities for advancement through additional experience and education.
6. Skills: Strong technical skills, attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and excellent interpersonal and communication skills are essential. Radiographers must also be proficient in operating and troubleshooting imaging equipment and ensuring patient comfort and safety.

Continuous professional development is essential to stay updated with technological advancements and evolving best practices in radiologic technology. Radiographers are encouraged to attend workshops, conferences, and continuing education courses. Membership in professional organizations, such as the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), provides access to resources, networking opportunities, and further educational support.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Radiographer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to radiographer.

nuclear medicine radiographer
diagnostic radiographer
therapeutic radiographer
orthoptist
specialist pharmacist

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of radiographer.

• Hygiene in a health care setting: The procedures related to maintaining a hygienic environment within a health care setting, such as hospitals and clinics. These can range from hand washing to cleaning and disinfecting medical equipment and infection control methods.
• Pharmaceutical products: The offered pharmaceutical products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Health care legislation: The patients` rights and responsibilities of health practitioners and the possible repercussions and prosecutions in relation to medical treatment negligence or malpractice.
• Medical terminology: The meaning of medical terms and abbreviations, of medical prescriptions and various medical specialties and when to use it correctly.
• Health care occupation-specific ethics: The moral standards and procedures, ethical questions and obligations specific to occupations in a healthcare setting such as respect for human dignity, self-determination, informed consent and patient confidentiality.
• Radiation physics in healthcare: The radiation physics related to conventional radiology, CT, MRI, ultrasound, diagnostic nuclear medicine and their principles such as areas of application, indications, contraindications, limitations and radiation hazards.
• Evidence-based radiography practice: The radiography principles that require the application of quality decision-making and radiography care based on proven clinical expertise as well as the most recent research developments in the field.
• Medical contrast agents: Substances used in medical imaging techniques to reinforce the visibility of certain features in organs or cells.
• Radiobiology: The way ionising radiation interacts with a living organism, how it can be used to treat various cancers and its effects.
• Paediatrics: Paediatrics is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.
• Healthcare data systems: The types of systems that manage and maintain healthcare user data.
• Human anatomy: The dynamic relationship of human structure and function and the muscosceletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, urinary, reproductive, integumentary and nervous systems; normal and altered anatomy and physiology throughout the human lifespan.
• Medical oncology: The characteristics, development, diagnosis and treatment of tumors and cancer in human organisms.
• Psychology: The human behaviour and performance with individual differences in ability, personality, interests, learning, and motivation.
• Pathology: The components of a disease, the cause, mechanisms of development, morphologic changes, and the clinical consequences of those changes.
• Radiation protection: The measures and procedures used to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionising radiation.
• Scientific research methodology: The theoretical methodology used in scientific research involving doing background research, constructing an hypothesis, testing it, analysing data and concluding the results.
• First aid: The emergency treatment given to a sick or injured person in the case of circulatory and/or respiratory failure, unconsciousness, wounds, bleeding, shock or poisoning.

These skills are necessary for the role of radiographer.

• Respond to changing situations in health care: Cope with pressure and respond appropriately and in time to unexpected and rapidly changing situations in healthcare.
• Provide psychological support to patients: Provide accurate psychological and emotional support to anxious, vulnerable and confused healthcare users related to the treatment undergone.
• Contribute to continuity of health care: Contribute to the delivery of coordinated and continuous healthcare.
• Use e-health and mobile health technologies: Use mobile health technologies and e-health (online applications and services) in order to enhance the provided healthcare.
• Interact with healthcare suppliers: Maintain relationships with suppliers who sell healthcare equipment, tools and supplies.
• Empathise with the healthcare user: Understand the background of clients` and patients’ symptoms, difficulties and behaviour. Be empathetic about their issues; showing respect and reinforcing their autonomy, self-esteem and independence. Demonstrate a concern for their welfare and handle according to the personal boundaries, sensitivities, cultural differences and preferences of the client and patient in mind.
• Apply radiation protection procedures: Inspect rules related to ionising radiation and ensure these abide by the Medical Exposure Directive (MED).
• Maintain imaging equipment: Inspect imaging equipment and quality assurance processes. Report malfunctions.
• Manage radiology information system: Develop and maintain a database to store, manage and distribute radiological images and data.
• Manage healthcare users’ data: Keep accurate client records that also satisfy legal and professional standards and ethical obligations in order to facilitate client management, ensuring that all clients’ data (including verbal, written and electronic) are treated confidentially.
• Deal with emergency care situations: Assess the signs and be well-prepared for a situation that poses an immediate threat to a person’s health, security, property or environment.
• Interpret requests for imaging examinations: Receive and interpret requests from medical practitioners for imaging examinations to be performed on patients.
• Provide health education: Provide evidence-based strategies to promote healthy living, disease prevention and management.
• Communicate effectively in healthcare: Communicate effectively with patients, families and other caregivers, healthcare professionals, and community partners.
• Provide information: Ensure quality and correctness of provided information, depending on the type of audience and context.
• Follow clinical guidelines: Follow agreed protocols and guidelines in support of healthcare practice which are provided by healthcare institutions, professional associations, or authorities and also scientific organisations.
• Operate medical imaging equipment: Produce high quality medical images using technologically advanced medical imaging equipment such as CT (computed tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), mobile X-ray machines, ultrasound (US), nuclear medicine with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT).
• Comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice: Apply quality standards related to risk management, safety procedures, patients feedback, screening and medical devices in daily practice, as they are recognized by the national professional associations and authorities.
• Comply with legislation related to health care: Comply with the regional and national legislation that is relevant to one`s work and apply it in practice.
• Listen actively: Pay attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, ask questions as appropriate, and not interrupt at inappropriate times; be able to listen carefully to the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users, or others and provide solutions accordingly.
• Apply radiological health sciences: Use and apply radiological health sciences according to the situation and patient’s response to treatment.
• Post-process medical images: Perform post-processing on medical images, or develop X-ray films, checking processed images to determine if further care is necessary.
• Promote inclusion: Promote inclusion in health care and social services and respect diversity of beliefs, culture, values and preferences, keeping in mind the importance of equality and diversity issues.
• Interact with healthcare users: Communicate with clients and their carer’s, with the patient’s permission, to keep them informed about the clients’ and patients’ progress and safeguarding confidentiality.
• Ensure safety of healthcare users: Make sure that healthcare users are being treated professionally, effectively and safe from harm, adapting techniques and procedures according to the person’s needs, abilities or the prevailing conditions.
• Determine imaging techniques to be performed: Determine the appropriate imaging techniques to provide the appropriate diagnostic information to the doctor who requested it.
• Adhere to organisational code of ethics: Adhere to organisational European and regional specific standards and code of ethics, understanding the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and apply this awareness.
• Apply organisational techniques: Employ a set of organisational techniques and procedures which facilitate the achievement of the goals set. Use these resources efficiently and sustainably, and show flexibility when required.
• Ensure compliance with radiation protection regulations: Make sure the company and the employees implement the legal and operational measures established to guarantee protection against radiation.
• Apply context specific clinical competences: Apply professional and evidence based assessment, goal setting, delivery of intervention and evaluation of clients, taking into account the developmental and contextual history of the clients, within one`s own scope of practice.
• Work in multidisciplinary health teams: Participate in the delivery of multidisciplinary health care, and understand the rules and competences of other healthcare related professions.
• Calculate exposure to radiation: Calculate radiation data about procedures, such as length and intensity of exposure.
• Prepare patients for imaging procedures: Instruct patients prior to their exposure to imaging equipment, correctly positioning the patient and imaging equipment to obtain the best image of the area being examined.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of radiographer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Orthopaedics: Orthopaedics is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.
• Human physiology: The science that studies the human organs and its interactions and mechanisms.
• Pharmacology: Pharmacology is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.
• Epidemiology: The branch of medicine that deals with the incidence, distribution and control of diseases. The disease aetiology, transmission, outbreak investigation, and comparisons of treatment effects.
• Pedagogy: The discipline that concerns the theory and practice of education including the various instructional methods for educating individuals or groups.
• Development trends in radiography: The current techniques and developments in radiography and medical imaging.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of radiographer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Educate on the prevention of illness: Offer evidence-based advice on how to avoid ill health, educate and advise individuals and their carers on how to prevent ill health and/or be able to advise how to improve their environment and health conditions. Provide advice on the identification of risks leading to ill health and help to increase the patients’ resilience by targeting prevention and early intervention strategies.
• Inform policy makers on health-related challenges: Provide useful information related to health care professions to ensure policy decisions are made in the benefit of communities.
• Interpret medical images: Analyse medical images in order to diagnose illnesses and injuries.
• Prepare lesson content: Prepare content to be taught in class in accordance with curriculum objectives by drafting exercises, researching up-to-date examples etc.
• Perform lectures: Present lectures to various groups.
• Perform clinical research in radiography: Perform clinical research in the field of radiography, ranging from recruitment to trials through research studies, evaluating newer technologies and techniques as part of providing evidence based practice.
• Identify progression of disease: Recognise changing signs, symptoms and progression of disease and make appropriate decisions related to the continuation or changing of the treatment.
• Advise on healthcare users’ informed consent: Ensure patients/clients are fully informed about the risks and benefits of proposed treatments so they can give informed consent, engaging patients/clients in the process of their care and treatment.
• Conduct health related research: Conduct research in health-related topics and communicate findings orally, through public presentations or by writing reports and other publications.
• Employ foreign languages for health-related research: Use foreign languages for conducting and collaborating in health-related research.
• Employ foreign languages in care: Communicate in foreign languages with healthcare users, their carers, or service providers. Use foreign languages to facilitate patient care according to the patient’s needs.
• Interpret radiology examinations: Analyse the images resulting from radiology investigations and send a signed report to the primary care or referring physician, who will share the results with the patient.

2269 – Health professionals not elsewhere classified 

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 References

1. Radiographer – ESCO
2. Radiographer Job Description – Indeed
3. Radiographer: Career & Salary Facts – Learn.org
4. Radiographer | Explore careers – National Careers Service
5. Featured image: Photo by Gustavo Fring