Graduation Requirements

Nuclear medicine technologists are highly skilled professionals qualified by education to perform nuclear medicine procedures and accompanying responsibilities at the direction of a physician qualified to request nuclear procedures. To that end and for the safety and well-being of patients and the community in general, it is the policy of the Nuclear Medicine Technology program to assure that all graduates entering the profession of nuclear medicine technology have met the rigorous requirements for graduation, thus enabling their eligibility to sit for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) and Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) examinations.

To be eligible for graduation, the following technical requirements/objectives must be met:

1. Apply knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and positioning to competently and accurately demonstrate anatomical structures on a nuclear medicine image
2. Determine protocols to achieve optimum study results with minimum radiation exposure to the patient
3. Evaluate nuclear medicine images for appropriate positioning and overall image quality
4. Apply principles of radiation protection to patients, self, and others
5. Describe the effects of ionizing radiation on living tissue
6. Provide basic patient care and comfort to patients across the age continuum
7. Recognize emergency patient conditions and initiate first-aid and basic life-support procedures
8. Demonstrate knowledge and proper use of medical terminology
9. Demonstrate knowledge and proper use of radiopharmaceuticals
10. Evaluate the performance of nuclear medicine instrumentation; identify the safe limits of instrument operation; and report instrument malfunctions to the proper authority
11. Participate in nuclear medicine quality control programs
12. Demonstrate effective verbal, non-verbal, and written medical communication in providing patient care and maintaining professional relationships with other members of the health care team
13. Exercise independent judgment and discretion in the technical performance of medical imaging procedures
14. Apply problem-solving and critical-thinking skills in the academic and clinical settings
15. Participate in a professional development activity approved by program faculty
16. Complete service-learning and service hours requirements
17. Support the profession's Code of Ethics and comply with the profession's Scope of Practice
18. Demonstrate ARRT(N) and NMTCB certification examination readiness
19. Complete all attendance and punctuality requirements as defined by the Attendance Policy
20. Pass all academic and clinical courses, and complete all required clinical competencies
21. Complete the exit interview