The tough job market continues to affect me. I got hired at the VA as a fee-based CT technologist on a part time basis. I was told that I would work 5 days a week every other week until the two full-time open positions were filled. This was supposed to take me at least into the fall of this year. In an unprecedented turn of events, the usually ...

After going on an interview in mid December of last year, I was just given my start date at the VA of mid March. I guess it’s better late than never.  I was initially supposed to begin orientation today but some unfinished paperwork held things up.  I have seen first hand that getting a government job takes quite a bit longer than a ...

What does the word “ethical” mean to you? It is an important concept to be mindful of each and every day at work. From patient confidentiality to not sharing answers on continuing education tests, we are bound by standards that we must uphold as medical professionals. We dictate how patients and other staff view us. Many nurses I have ...

It’s not every day that I get to be on the other side of the X-ray table or scanner. This week, I went for a mammogram and got to do just that. I was going to tell the technologist what I do for a living but decided not to. She was nice, but she did not make me feel at ease when I entered the room. She didn’t do several things that I try to always ...

I had a great weekend back at work. Everyone was very happy to see me and even people in other departments stopped by to welcome me back. This felt great! It really is true that a vacation can make all the difference when you are stressed out from work. I thought I'd have a tough time readjusting to my schedule after being on vacation, but this ...

As a student, if you have a chance to choose a final rotation while in school, go out on a limb and try out an area that you are weak in or know little about. This is what prompted me to choose CT. I only had a quick, six-week rotation through CT, and it was cut short by the end-of-the-year holidays. My didactic training in CT was also ...

Recently the number of infants and children I’m scanning seems to be increasing. This population presents many challenges for me and my co-workers. How do you get an infant to stop crying and hold still long enough to get a diagnostic study? How do you deal with the scared parent(s)? Also, is a CT scan really the best option for a child due to the ...

I had a very good weekend at work. I'm getting a little more used to the overnights and lack of sleep. Most important, I'm feeling much more comfortable doing the actual job. Overnight is the busiest time so working fast and smart is essential. My co-workers have been impressed with the pace I can keep since I'm new but I'm no stranger to hard ...