Patient education in nuclear medicine technology practice.

This is the second article of a two-part series on patient education. This article builds on the first one by discussing some of the unique considerations in providing patient education in the nuclear medicine department. Concrete strategies for nuclear medicine technology practice are discussed here. After reading this article, the technologist should be able to: (a) describe the affective and technical aspects of the nuclear medicine technologist's role as a patient educator; (b) identify some strategies that nuclear medicine technologists can use to become better teachers; and (c) describe factors that affect patient learning in the nuclear medicine department and some approaches to overcome or minimize learning barriers.

Dichotomous thinking in nuclear medicine technology.

Dichotomous thinking is the natural human tendency to think in a binary manner (either-or). Although it is natural, dichotomous thinking can be simplistic and may lead to a lack of consideration of alternatives. In nuclear medicine, a predominant use of dichotomous thinking can lead to a very elementary way of thinking that may produce technologists who do not question why or how things are done. Adaptation and survival in today's health care environment require complex ways of thinking. This article describes dichotomous thinking and its problems and pitfalls in nuclear medicine practice and education, and suggests that dichotomous thinking can be extended to dialectical (contradictory ideas) modes of thinking.

Caring for the older patient, Part III: Ethical issues in gerontology.

This is the third article of a four-part series on gerontology and its applications to the care of elderly patients in nuclear medicine. This article reviews some of the ethical issues that arise in caring for the elderly. Upon completion of this article, the reader should be able to: (a) discuss the relationship between autonomy and competence; (b) differentiate between competence and decision-making capacity; (c) identify guidelines for determining decision-making capacity; (d) define ageism and provide examples of it; (e) describe the way American society views death and the issues this view raises for health care professionals; and (f) describe the grieving process.

Caring for the older patient, Part IV: The value of nuclear medicine in meeting the needs of an aging society.

This is the last article of a four-part series on gerontology and its applications to the care of elderly patients in nuclear medicine. This article reviews selected nuclear medicine procedures that are more commonly performed on older patients. On completion of this article, the reader should be able to: (a) identify nuclear medicine procedures commonly performed on older patients; (b) give examples of how normal age-related anatomic and physiologic changes may affect various nuclear medicine procedures and findings; and (c) identify new or developing nuclear medicine techniques that may have future applications in the elderly population.

Caring for the older patient, Part I: The relationship of theory to practice.

This is the first article of a four-part series on gerontology and its applications to the care of elderly patients in nuclear medicine. The series includes discussions about the theories of aging, approaches to meeting the special needs of the elderly and ethical dilemmas in caring for the elderly. It also reviews anatomical and physiological changes associated with aging and the role of nuclear medicine studies in caring for the elderly. Upon completion of this article, the reader should be able to: (a) describe the aging U.S. population by citing demographic data; (b) identify the theories of aging and distinguish their major characteristics; (c) differentiate a gerontologic approach from a geriatric approach in caring for the elderly; and (d) recognize factors important to the delivery of effective care for the elderly.

Caring for the older patient, Part II: Age-related anatomic and physiologic changes and pathologies.

This is the second article of a four-part series on gerontology and its applications to the care of elderly patients in nuclear medicine. This article reviews anatomic and physiologic changes and pathology associated with aging. It also discusses tailoring nuclear medicine procedures according to patients' needs and conditions, as well as adopting changes within the nuclear medicine department to better serve older patients. Upon completion of this article, the reader should be able to: (a) describe normal age-related anatomic and physiologic changes that are observed in older patients; (b) identify common age-related disorders; (c) discuss considerations in tailoring nuclear medicine procedures for older patients; and (d) identify changes in the nuclear medicine facility that would better accommodate older patients.

Patient education: a mandate for health care in the 21st century.

OBJECTIVE: This first article, of a two-part series, presents the foundation for patient education in the nuclear medicine department. The need for patient education through mandates, such as the JCAHO, is discussed and the relevant literature surrounding the delivery of patient education is reviewed. The emphasis is on proper learning by patients, including the means of maximizing the facilitators to learning and minimizing barriers that limit patient learning in the clinical setting. After completing the article, the reader should be able to: (a) describe the mandates for patient education; (b) discuss the current practice of patient education in health care; (c) describe the effective implementation of learning; (d) list barriers and facilitators to patient learning; and (e) give examples of how barriers to learning can be minimized and facilitators can be maximized. Practical applications will be discussed in the second article.

Using case studies to teach clinical problem-solving.

The case study method is a useful student-centered learning strategy that allows students to solve real-world problems in the safe environment of the classroom. The authors discuss the strengths and limitations of this method and strategies for developing and using case studies in the classroom.

Educating the culturally diverse healthcare student.

Diversity among healthcare students is increasing as the population of the United States changes in composition. Preparation of the culturally diverse healthcare student presents a challenge for recruitment, education, and retention. The problems of education can be ameliorated by a thorough assessment of the culturally diverse student using the Giger and Davidhizar model. The student should be assessed for differences by considering six interrelated factors: communication, space, time, social organization, environmental control, and biological variations. Understanding the differences that exist in these areas is a first step toward appreciating the diversity among people of varied cultures.

The radiographic appearance of gout.

Gout is a disease that often leads to gouty arthritis, an arthropathy caused by elevated serum uric acid. Bony changes are not usually seen until years after the first clinical symptoms. This article describes gout and gouty arthritis with special reference to radiographic changes associated with the disease.

The use of benevolent power in nursing care.

The use of benevolent power is a preferred nursing care strategy. It is contrasted with its maladaptive opposite, the malevolent use of power. It is also compared to forms of manipulation. Manipulation can rarely be a positive behavior; it has the potential, even when exercised wisely, to lead to a future malevolent exercise of power. Lack of recognition of power may result in the nurse avoiding the use of power in professional relationships. This is not beneficial to the client or the profession of nursing.

The basics of radiation protection for hospital workers: considerations and procedures.

Radiology is probably one of the most widely misunderstood technologies in healthcare. The health risks of x-ray exposure are not as great as many think, nor are x-rays the only source of radiation. The author dispels some of the mysteries with a definition of radiation, an explanation of its sources and standards, and some basic tips on protection.

Allied health students' attitudes toward euthanasia.

Euthanasia, whether active or passive, remains a controversial issue in health care, and allied health professionals are likely to encounter situations of potential active or passive euthanasia during their careers. This survey of allied health students sought to determine their attitudes toward euthanasia and whether their self-reported euthanasia ideology corresponded with their behavioral endorsement of euthanasia actions. Disciplines and educational levels were also compared to determine differences between the program groups and their pro- or anti-euthanasia beliefs. Differing attitudes about euthanasia were found from group to group, and a significant correlation was found between the euthanasia ideology scores and the euthanasia behavioral scores.

Developing and evaluating a departmental universal precautions policy.

Universal precautions have been proposed by various organizations, and are now being enforced by the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This article is designed to serve as a guide for the radiology manager in implementing universal precautions.

Issues in patient consent.

Patient consent is an issue relevant to a variety of disciplines--law, ethics and communication. This paper will discuss consent in general, as well as how it specifically related to radiology departments and the roles of technologists and radiologists.

The view of a select group of leaders in radiology administration regarding the baccalaureate graduate of the future.

Radiology administrators are experts able to provide radiography educators with the input they need to produce competent graduates. This article reports on the view of a group of leaders in radiology administration regarding the need for, and the skills needed by, baccalaureate graduates in radiography to meet the needs of the future. In general, there was support for the baccalaureate graduate as an adjunct to the two-year graduate, although some felt that baccalaureate programs would provide inadequate technical preparation. The results of this research were used in a strategic plan for the development of a new baccalaureate program in radiography.

Integrating the needs of the individual and the institution in staff development.

This article describes how basic human needs and the needs of radiology departments can be integrated in a way that leads to personal and organizational growth. After discussing human and institutional needs, the author analyzes an advancement program used at one hospital and then presents a case study in effective staff development.

Radiation safety regulations--the evolution and development of standards.

This article describes the development of radiation protection standards, including laws covering equipment, personnel and patients, from a historical and evolutionary standpoint. Laws for the safe use of equipment, guidelines for occupational exposure and means of patient protection are developed from reports and recommendations of national and international organizations. In the United States, some of these laws operate at the federal level and others at the state level. This process is not always well-understood due to the number of organizations involved. This article outlines the process for the radiology manager.

The role of the radiology administrator in radiography education.

The rapidly changing nature of allied health and radiologic technology education has negated much of the former role of the radiology administrator in radiologic technology education. This article attempts to define a meaningful role for the administrator in radiologic technology education.

Rumors and gossip in radiology.

Rumors and gossip have long been popular topics in literature. Social scientists have even studied the topic and defined four main types of rumor: wish rumors; fear or bogey rumors; wedge-driving or aggressive rumors; and anticipatory rumors. In general, people believe rumor and gossip are synonymous. Rumormongering--the spreading of rumors--occurs among all cultures and types of people. Both men and women gossip and women's gossip is not more vindicative than men's, as is often thought. With such new means of communication as the Internet, transmitting rumor is possible beyond the traditional oral and written forms. Rumor is spread in both the higher and lower levels of an organization. Typically, disproving a rumor is more difficult than proving a rumor. The financial impact of a rumor must be considered also. If people believe, for example, that a radiology department does not have its act together or offers poor customer service, the department may lose revenue because people have lost confidence in it. Originally, the word gossip had positive implications. It referred to a family friend or the woman who delivered a child and announced the event to the community. Because well-intentioned gossip often turns into a damaging story, various approaches for stopping rumors have been identified. They include analyzing the grapevine, identifying the habitual spreaders of rumor and keeping employees informed. In most cases, a person of authority who provides facts can stop or at least slow down rumors spreading at the employee level.