Technology. Detailed imagery. Patient interaction. Radiology is a healthcare field that gives nurses the opportunity to test, treat and build personal relationships with their patients while not doing too much dirty work – like dealing with blood. What do radiology nurses do? They provide support for the scared woman who they’re scanning for breast cancer. And they’re also with her after her diagnosis when she’s treated with various radiation therapies. Beyond providing medical services, radiology nurses leave a lasting impression on the patients whose lives they touch during vulnerable and sometimes life-changing moments. This week as we celebrate nurses and reflect on all the ways that they influence, inspire and innovate, let’s take a moment to pay tribute to radiology nurses everywhere!
What do Radiology Nurses Do?
Radiology is a specialty that requires education and experience beyond just a degree in nursing. Since nurses are part of a medical team, they know how to use radiologic medical technology to assess, diagnose and treat patients. To show that they have the knowledge and experience needed to work in radiology, nurses can earn various certifications from the Radiological Nursing Certification Board. For example, the Certified Radiology Nurse (CRN) designation. In order to achieve this, they have to meet certain requirements. Requirements include proof of at least 30 hours of continuing education courses in radiology within two years of applying, and at least 2,000 hours practicing as an RN. This means that people have to gain experience as an RN is another field before they can become certified in radiology.
Radiology nurses can choose between three areas of radiology – diagnostic, therapy or oncology, and interventional radiology.
What do Radiology Nurses Do in Diagnostic Radiology?
In diagnostic radiology, nurses are helping with everything from basic x-rays of muscles and bones to more complex MRIs and CT scans. They are looking to conduct various diagnostic imaging of things like heart, lungs, brain damage and other traumatic injuries.
What do Radiology Nurses Do in Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy focuses on treating cancer patients and is essentially part of oncology medicine. In radiation therapy, nurses are performing examines and procedures alongside a radiologist. This detail-oriented focus is an intense therapy used to treat cancer. It is done a variety of ways from external-beam radiation therapy to internal radiation therapy.
What do Radiology Nurses Do in Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiology is a little more complicated to describe. It involves highly skilled individuals to actually perform minimally invasive procedures. This could involve a variety of things from biopsy procedures to fibroid removals to fluid drainage.
As you can see, each section of radiology involves heavy technology knowledge, a very specific skill set and the ability to work in a team. These nurses are not only highly skilled when it comes to tech, but they’re caring, empathetic and strong communicators. So what do radiology nurses do? They play a vital role in the calming and healing of patients who come through radiology departments. This is why it’s important to pay tribute to radiology nurses.
Radiology Nursing Salary
Now that we know what radiology nurses do, what is the estimated radiology nursing salary? Of course, several factors impact salaries such as experience, certifications, location and whether the person is a full-time nurse or a temporary travel nurse. However, some websites have attempted to pinpoint the average hourly rate of radiology nurses in the United States. According to payscale.com, the average hourly rate of a radiology nurse ranges from $22.58 to $78.68. This comes to a salary range of $44,565 to $163,054.
Share Your Tribute to Radiology Nurses with Us!
Do you know a radiology nurse or do you work as one? In the comments below, share your stories about how radiology nurses inspire, innovate or influence in their profession!
