Ever wondered how a day in the life of a Radiology Technologist unfolds, especially one who harnesses empathy as their superpower? Sharray, our esteemed guest, paints a vivid portrait of her journey within the realm of MRI technology, blending her infectious enthusiasm for patient care with technical expertise. This episode promises to debunk common myths about MRI, especially its non-radiative nature, and the unparalleled precision it contributes to medical diagnostics. With Sharray’s insights ringing in your ears, you'll grasp why loving your job isn't just a luxury—it's a necessity when patient health is on the line.
Join us as we navigate the nuanced process of prepping for an MRI scan, where the devil is truly in the details. Sharray shares the insider scoop on the essential, yet often overlooked elements of patient education before appointments—think ultrasound gel in a defectogram and the critical importance of MRI screening forms. Discover the delicate dance between 'safe' and 'conditional' implants and the vital communication channels that must remain open to ensure artifacts from unavoidable metals don't cloud diagnostic clarity. If you've ever been curious about the intersection of high-tech healthcare and the human touch, this is the conversation that will illuminate the balance.
Concluding with heartfelt reflections on the role of compassion in healthcare, the episode brings into focus the transformative power of understanding and kindness in every patient interaction. Sharing personal stories, Sharray and I shed light on the core of what it means to be a caregiver, reinforcing the idea that the most advanced machines can never replace the warmth of human empathy. If your heart lies in healthcare, or you're intrigued by the intricacies of MRI technology, let this episode be your guide to the profound impact passion can have on patient care and the evolving journey towards healthcare excellence.
Ever wondered how a day in the life of a Radiology Technologist unfolds, especially one who harnesses empathy as their superpower? Sharray, our esteemed guest, paints a vivid portrait of her journey within the realm of MRI technology, blending her infectious enthusiasm for patient care with technical expertise. This episode promises to debunk common myths about MRI, especially its non-radiative nature, and the unparalleled precision it contributes to medical diagnostics. With Sharray’s insights ringing in your ears, you'll grasp why loving your job isn't just a luxury—it's a necessity when patient health is on the line.
Join us as we navigate the nuanced process of prepping for an MRI scan, where the devil is truly in the details. Sharray shares the insider scoop on the essential, yet often overlooked elements of patient education before appointments—think ultrasound gel in a defectogram and the critical importance of MRI screening forms. Discover the delicate dance between 'safe' and 'conditional' implants and the vital communication channels that must remain open to ensure artifacts from unavoidable metals don't cloud diagnostic clarity. If you've ever been curious about the intersection of high-tech healthcare and the human touch, this is the conversation that will illuminate the balance.
Concluding with heartfelt reflections on the role of compassion in healthcare, the episode brings into focus the transformative power of understanding and kindness in every patient interaction. Sharing personal stories, Sharray and I shed light on the core of what it means to be a caregiver, reinforcing the idea that the most advanced machines can never replace the warmth of human empathy. If your heart lies in healthcare, or you're intrigued by the intricacies of MRI technology, let this episode be your guide to the profound impact passion can have on patient care and the evolving journey towards healthcare excellence.
Cherie, thank you so much for joining us on the Gentry's Journey. I'm Carolyn Coleman, your host. I do appreciate your time and I know we're going to learn so much from you today.
Speaker 2:Yes, ma'am, thank you for having me. I certainly appreciate the offer.
Speaker 1:Oh, you're more than welcome. So we're going to start with this inspirational scripture Rejoicing the Lord Always and again I say Rejoice, and that's Philippians 4 and 4. And for the listening audience, cherie's bio. I'm going to read you some of her bio. Cherie read Patient Care Strategies. She's a consultant, two-time winning North Texas Radiology Technologist, top 25 Radiology Technologists and winner of the prestigious Wildcat Award given by the commander at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, oklahoma. She has countless other awards and recognitions. She has elevated the patient care experience tremendously. Her devotion to an exceptional leadership in healthcare has afforded her the honorable role to coach the rising stars and heroes of the healthcare industry. She teaches proven strategies to healthcare students and professionals on result-driven patient care in a way that forever resonates with her patients. Now I just have to stop and applaud you right there, because patient care is the center of it all. Yes, it's doing good for the patients and it is recognized. That deserves an applause.
Speaker 2:That definitely deserves that, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1:It's my absolute joy, and that is the key to never working a day in your life.
Speaker 2:Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am, it doesn't fit.
Speaker 1:Find something that you love yes. It does not seem like work.
Speaker 2:No, you're absolutely right. Yes, and finding that out throughout my career. It's been one of those eye-opening experiences to learn that I am identified as an empath, and I had no idea what that meant early on in my career or even thought about it. But it so makes sense for my love of healthcare, my love of patient care, the interaction that I'm able to have with the patients. It's a complete joy.
Speaker 1:And that's great. I absolutely love that when you can find joy in what you're doing. Now. Do you specialize in MRIs? Yes, ma'am Okay, and I want you to give us an overview of what that is as a healthcare professional who performs the MRIs and what inspired you to seek that specialization.
Speaker 2:Okay, sounds good. It's a kind of funny story. But starting from, what is MRI? Basically, mri magnetic resonance imaging. This is an imaging modality in the radiology field. There are several paths you can go in in radiology and MRI is one of the ones that does not use radiation. That is a very common misconception, but MRI does not use radiation. It's a big magnet and it works with the hydrogen atoms in your body to create the images for the doctors to diagnose and see what's going on. It is a very time-consuming imaging modality but it is extremely beneficial, arguably the best imaging modality there is. I'm a little biased, I know, but there has been several studies that back up my claim of MRI being one, if not the best, imaging modality.
Speaker 2:The drawback to MRI is the timing of it and the patient's ability to hold still during their exam. But the images that result from MRI are the best. I mean it shows skin. In some instances it shows hair. It can show your heart beating. It can show you swallowing. There is no question when looking at an MRI as to what part of the body you're looking at. A ultrasound I still can't see other than a baby. I still have no idea what I'm looking at. But that's MRI in a nutshell. Now, what got me into MRI? Now, this story you would think would be one of those wow stories, but it's really not. My love for dance has a had a hold on me still does. I love dance. I was in the ninth grade and I tried to convince my mom to send me to either New York or Atlanta to go to dance school, because I just love dance and she wasn't having it.
Speaker 1:I wonder why.
Speaker 2:She was not having it. So she said you need to find a degree, find an interest in something that you can get a degree in, and in living schools class I was kind of going down the list of possible degrees or career paths and I found radiology and I actually at that time thought the amount of money made as a radiologic technologist was outstanding and I said, okay, I can get paid this much to take a picture, this is what I'm doing, I'm all in, okay, so fast forward, and I realized it was way much more than just taking a picture. And that's how I kind of landed in the radiology field. From there I went on to do MRI, get my MRI certification, and I absolutely love MRI. There is. I love the time you can have with your patients, I love the images that you can obtain with the patients, and it's just one of those things that speaks to my soul as a healthcare provider.
Speaker 1:Okay, and I think that is again wonderful, because I find there are so many people working in different aspects of various professions that don't like what they do. So I just wonder about the drudgery. Something's got to be pulling you back because it can't be pushing you forward, because you don't enjoy it.
Speaker 2:You don't enjoy it.
Speaker 1:And I feel sorry for them, because you really need to like what you do. You really need to like it.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah.
Speaker 1:Again, I feel as though you do better when you enjoy what you do.
Speaker 2:Yes, healthcare is one of those fields that you. It's imperative, it's a must, because we have people's lives in our hands and if you don't like what you do, it shows. And when it shows, it makes it hard for patients to heal. It makes it hard for a patient to go through what they're going through possibly the hardest time of their lives. It makes it hard for them to heal properly when the care is half hazard or if it's not from a pure place.
Speaker 1:And they can feel when you're not concerned. Yes, and I'm not saying they, let's say we as patients we can feel when you're not concerned, because I had to have an x-ray off my hand last week. They were like come this way. I went, sit in here. I said should I put on a gown or something? I mean no, nothing else came. So I decided to go ahead and put on a gown and they come in. You didn't need that gown on. I said, wait, a little information would have been helpful and she was like oh, nobody told you.
Speaker 1:I said no, just like you walked in here, opened the door and told me I didn't need to put.
Speaker 2:Right, it's a little bit.
Speaker 1:And I wanted to go a little further, but I was like be, careful, they're going x-ray. So she was like put your hand right there.
Speaker 2:Yes, there is no connection. I mean it's sad how health care is not connected. It's very sad to see. So I mean and that's why I envision impeccable patient care and brought forth that direction in teaching our oncoming health care personnel. The students need to know how important it is to be a person, to be personable, to have emotions and to show them as you're caring for your patients. Because, like you said, you felt all of that. There was nothing that said I am caring for you and I care for you. In that moment. There was nothing of that.
Speaker 1:Nothing and me being a nurse, I take a clinical group of nursing students to their clinical site and my biggest thing is treat people the way you would want to be treated and, even if not yourself, a family member that you care about or a friend that you care about, don't be so task oriented. That you lose yourself in the task. Speak to the people, even if they are sedated. Hello, mrs Jones, I'm here to take care of you. I'm going to go ahead and get some vital signs, or.
Speaker 1:I'm going to assess you. Just let them know you're there. Because, they need to know that they will trust you the more other than you coming in and just saying I'm in here, I'll be a nurse today. I'm going to do it. Yes, make it personable. Make it personable, yes.
Speaker 2:And, if I may, I'd like to share a story about that here. So in we were. It was an ICU patient the nurses brought down for an MRI of the brain. Now, icu patients are a little challenging in that they have everything hooked up to them if they're on the vent or if they have medications running, so it's a little time consuming to get them prepped and ready to go into the MRI suite. Well, in that moment of prepping the patient myself, two nurses and a respiratory therapist we're getting the patient ready to go into the MRI suite. And you can tell they had been working together for quite some time years possibly and so they were comfortable with each other. So they were having conversations and I'm asking questions about the patients Is the catheter, does it have metal in it or is it all plastic? Just questions needed to know before going into the MRI suite.
Speaker 2:Well, they're having this conversation and this was a patient on the larger side and they made a comment of how unnecessarily big this woman was.
Speaker 2:Now, of course, I chose not to participate in that conversation because I know just because you're vented does not mean you're not aware or cannot hear what's going on. So fast forward to a week later they wanted to follow up brain MRI on this patient and she came down and recalled the whole incident and she had already complained to the nursing supervisor. But she said I am so glad and I am so thankful that you didn't participate in that. And she knew my voice, she knew exactly who I was, she knew that I was the one who did her MRI. And we hugged and she cried and I apologized for staff being so unprofessional. And it just goes to show, just because a patient is on a ventilator or just because they're on meds and they don't seem to be with it, they hear everything that's said around them. They hear that, and so it's very important for us, as health care personnel, to always stay in our professional stance, just because of that reason alone.
Speaker 1:I agree with you. I have heard patients because I am a critical care nurse and I still respect that state that they're in when we have sedated them, when they're on the vent. You have to watch what you're saying, because they will wake up, yes, and they will do recall. Yes, you know there's nothing more humbling than someone who's been sedated, and we know hearing is basically the last to go. So be careful what we say, and I'm always very mindful of that. I'm always very mindful of that Because just picture yourself lying there. How would you feel? How would you feel?
Speaker 1:And so we need to be as health care professionals. Health care personnel need to always be on our job as being professional, acting in a way of being professional, because what is it? People might not remember what you say, but they may remember how you said it or how you made them feel.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that is very true, and I don't know if people get so comfortable in what they're doing or they just want to chat it up, but there's a time and place to chat it up. Yes and I think it's a little of both. Yeah, yeah, and I think some people get very comfortable where they are and in their setting, but the goal is to take care of the patient.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:That is the goal.
Speaker 2:Yes, we mustn't forget that. That's priority number one.
Speaker 1:That is priority number one. Now, how does the process of performing an MRI scan work? Can you walk us through that process?
Speaker 2:Yes. So the doctor will order an exam, an MRI exam, and depending on if it's inpatient or outpatient, we'll go with the outpatient. The doctor will order the exam. We get those exams or those orders prior to the patient coming in, sometimes days before the patient coming in. So what? And this also depends on where you work, so you'll be responsible for calling the patient to make sure you prepare them.
Speaker 2:Now I say a proper department should do this, and it doesn't always have to be the MRI technologist. It's just a huge plus because the patient usually have questions that only an MRI technologist can answer. So you call the patient and let's say it's a defectogram. Now, defectogram is an exam where and it's usually for women who are unable to have routine bowel movements and they have a prolapse bladder or just issues with being able to use a restroom, and so we have to explain to them what has to happen during that MRI exam. So we'll be inserting ultrasound gel vaginally and rectally. And it's good we do these phone calls because you can tell for the doctors who have not explained these MRI exams. They come in and they have the deer and headlights, look like I have to do what you're going to do what. So it's very beneficial if you can call these patients in advance to kind of give them a heads up as to what's needed, so that ultrasound gel being inserted rectally and vaginally can be uncomfortable for a lot of people, and so we get them prepped for being in that state of mind of okay, I'm going to have to relax during this exam to the point where I can actually get a good study. So they'll come in and, depending on if they're claustrophobic or not, they'll need to have medication from their doctor prescribed to them. They'll also need to have a ride home, so husband, wife, family, friend, whomever may drive them home after the exam. During that process of them checking in for their exam, they'll have to fill out an MRI screening form.
Speaker 2:The MRI screening form is just a check off of anything metal or mechanical that may be implanted into the patient's body, whether it be surgical implantation or someone had gotten shot or stabbed or had an accident and there's metal somewhere in their body or on their person. There is a lot of new. Let's see garments made. There's makeup now that has metallic fibers, as well as the clothes. So it's an extensive checklist of what I may have on, what may be inside of me what surgeries I have had, because a lot of people don't excuse me don't know that the surgery that they had may be a heart valve replacement, that the heart valve replacement does have metal components to it Not all, but some does. So we have to go through that and ask okay, where was this implanted? Where did you have the surgery done? That way we can call the facility and get exactly the manufacturer, the serial number, so we can check it out ourselves to make sure it doesn't have any metal components to it.
Speaker 2:After the patient is cleared with the MRI screening form, we also do like a once over. We'll change them preferably into a gown completely because, like I said, these you know garments that you are thinking I'm just going to go in leggings so I don't have to put on a gown, and those leggings can have metallic fibers in them. So the best practice is to go ahead and change into a gown completely. No bra, because I have actually went round and round with women who think their sports bras don't have metal on the shoulder clips or whatever, and we'll do what we'll have to want them to prove that it is in fact metal. All of that can affect your MRI study.
Speaker 2:What metal does going into an MRI suite? It either will pull or, if it does not have any magnetic properties to it, it could show as this big black blotch. So say, for instance, we're doing a brain MRI and this patient has braces. Okay, we're unable to remove braces, of course, but we make a note into the patient's chart exam for the reading radiologist to know exactly what this big black blotch is. So when they actually go in for their head MRI, around the nose, around sometimes bleeding into the brain area, is this big black circle artifact that you cannot see any tissue, any anatomy in that area. So braces are a huge issue for patients that need a brain MRI. But it's documented and the radiologist will read it, knowing that they may not be able to see some of the anatomy involved.
Speaker 1:Sure, yes ma'am, can I ask a question right quick? I apologize, no problem. Are you talking about braces on their teeth? Yes, ma'am, I'm sorry. Yes, no, no, no, no, because I have another question this way. I just wanted to get that one out the way. Okay, what about clips and coils when they've had an aneurysm, are they still eligible to have an MRI?
Speaker 2:Yes, ma'am, sometimes. So coils you really have to do some research on. Some coils are safe for MRI or conditional, I shall say and the terms there they could be used wrong and I almost just use that one wrong. Safe versus conditional. So some coils are conditional, meaning there are certain conditions that have to be met before sticking that patient in an MRI magnet. And some of the conditions may be that patient can only be scanned for 15 minutes or that patient can only have their head done or their torso done or extremity. Those are the conditions that have to be met.
Speaker 2:Some coils, some clips the clips usually are. If it's surgical clips, they're titanium. Titanium is a metal that is safe for MRI, meaning you can go in and there is no magnetic pool where those clips are. So if you have any kind of implant, that is, let's say, hip replacement or knee replacement or shoulder replacement, where they have implanted surgical rod, pen, plate screws, all of those are safe for the MRI, meaning you can go in there and not have an issue as to it pooling the MRI, pooling that part of the body because there's metal in there. Titanium is what they use usually in surgery suites and those plate screws anything like that is usually going to be fine for MRI.
Speaker 1:Okay, what about Harrington rods, if they still use them? And a pacemaker?
Speaker 2:All right. So Harrington rods usually they, so metal can also heat up. So Harrington rods has been a thorn in MRI side forever. So usually you still can get an MRI if you, if the patient has Harrington rods, like I said, they may have a duration or time length that they can be in the MRI, because they will heat up and they'll be will give the patient a ball. If there's any issues, they squeeze that ball. It's to alert the staff that they either something is wrong or they want to come out or they have to sneeze or have to use a restroom. It's just to alert the staff and they squeeze that ball and say, hey, I'm warming up too much. Or in most MRI suites you can tell at the control panel that the patient is is heating up. Okay, but so that's Harrington rods.
Speaker 2:Pacemakers there are so many different types of pacemakers. Some are conditional, some are not. So now they're making them where they are conditional and most of which can be scanned in an MRI suite. But they have to have a nurse present to monitor their heart rhythm, their respiratory oxygen. They have to have a nurse present to monitor their vials. So the patient has to have that pacemaker.
Speaker 2:What is it called the manufacturer has to come in and program the pacemaker and put it in MRI mode. So putting the pacemaker in MRI mode allows the patient to have an MRI if that's a conditional pacemaker. Some pacemakers they just cannot have an MRI and those are usually the earlier model pacemaker or defibrillators. But the later model pacemaker defibrillators they're making them where they are conditional and the manufacturers will program them and they're actually now have them where they are enlisting the technologists to program that. I'm not on board with that per se, but they are allowing the technologists to program the MRI or the patient's pacemaker to be put in MRI mode for that patient to have their MRI. And it just depends on the facility. Some doctors will want to a chest x-ray to make sure that pacemaker has the leads in the proper place that that patient can actually undergo an MRI safely. So there's a lot with the pacemaker or defibrillator.
Speaker 1:Okay, I'm sorry, I took a sip of water. No, no, now. So you guys are in, basically like a safety zone, doing the scan. So if the nurse has to come in and or the let's say, the pacemaker rep has to come in, they will be in the immediate area of the patient, or will? They be in the safety zone with you guys.
Speaker 2:So okay, the there's different zones in MRI. There's zone one through four for MRI, zone four is exactly where the MRI magnet is. The scanner is where the patient will be in the scanner. That's MRI. Or zone four, excuse me, zone one. On the opposite side there is, let's say, hallway of an hospital. People are walking down the hallways. That's zone one. Everybody's usually safe in zone one.
Speaker 2:Zone two is where you should get screened. Zone two is where your screening is done. Do you have the pacemaker, do you have any other implants and have you ever been shot before you get screened in zone two? Because in zone three some magnetic fields can be affected or and or your implant can be affected by being that close to the magnet. So it's not in zone three, is not in the room, but it's just outside the room, okay. And zone three is usually where everybody else stops.
Speaker 2:No one really should be in zone four, but the technologist and the patient, unless it's an ICU patient and the nurse needs to go in and give some more medication to allow that patient to hold steel or whatever. Or let's say, anesthesia is involved in. Anesthesia needs to go in there and do their thing Right, but the, the manufacturer and rep usually will not will program the or put the patient's pacemaker in MRI mode. Usually that happens in zone two and they just and of course different facilities have different rules for this. But the manufacturer and rep will wait until that patient is done and then when they're done, they'll put it back in normal mode for that patient and they're good to go. But zone three is is usually a control area we also work out of out of zone three, the technologist does and we actually have a big window and can keep our eyes on the patient. But that's zone three, okay.
Speaker 1:Now I've had to have to want, the reason being they did not read the order correctly. That bothered me so bad. I said that to say it is not comfortable having an MRI. I got through it, you know, because I kept repeating the Lord's Prayer, all verses I could think of, to keep my mind off of it because it is an enclosed position. And when the the technologist was like, okay, are you okay? I'm fine, I'm comfortable. And then when she walked away, I went, where are you going, are you okay? I was like, yeah, I want to know where you're going. I'm going to be back here. I was like, you know, okay, so you'll be, you won't be far, right, and I was very serious, you know, because I am the one who takes the patient down, because, like you say, when you're in critical care, you assist with, you know, transferring the patient down but me, having had one before I was like, come on, what we're doing here.
Speaker 1:But she walked a little further than where I have been, where they've had MRIs done, and I was like, who do you call? So I'm gonna be right here, but just squeeze this if you need me. I was like, okay, you know, and I didn't want to, I want to make, I wanted to make sure it was present. But I was like, lord, don't, let me just keep squeezing this thing and we don't get this done.
Speaker 1:So I wanted it over with. So when I heard that the following two or three days that they scan the wrong part of my body they were supposed to do my neck and they did my head and I was like you tell me y'all can do, come down a few more inches. I mean, you know, you know head bone connect to the neck bone. Now you ain't convinced me at this point in time. I don't want to go through this. I had to. I had to because I have been hit from behind so many times, people not paying attention. You know they use me as their bumper or their stop.
Speaker 1:So I'm just over it but that was the first time it is, and that was the first time I had to have an MRI, and be it. So I had to have two.
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness yeah that was punishment. That's why it felt like punishment Now and that's exactly why I created that, the the impeccable patient care. Because you never know as a patient. You know we're on the healthcare side and if you never had to experience the patient side of it, don't realize what all it takes mentally, emotionally.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, through those things. And I've had several nurses go why don't they just hold still, you know? Why can't they? Just because I've had to call upstairs. Okay, they can't get through this MRI, you know? Or do you want to call the doctor, see if they can give them something to help relax them, or and they'll, they'll be upset. Why it's just 30 minutes? Why can't they just hold still? And I have to interject and say have you ever had an MRI before? True, true, because it is not that simple for a lot of people and just going through it can be quite frightening for a lot of people.
Speaker 1:Yes, sure it can't. And see the thing about I've never had to have an MRI and I've sent many patients down to MRI, but I'm very visual, so I'm they're like she couldn't take it and I was like, well, don't give her a hard time about this, because have you imagined yourself laying inside?
Speaker 2:that I said.
Speaker 1:Yes, you would have to sedate me. I'm here to tell you right now, you're gonna have to sedate me because I don't like being closed in, I don't like my hands being down by my side, you know, and you can't move them. Yeah, I mean, that's, that's a hard one. And so the doc, the next order he does okay, we're going to do this again, but we're going to sedate her this time and I'm like, could we have sedated her, just for peace sake? Could we have sedated her? Because, guess what? She's got to go back down there here. She has got to go back down there and their anxiety is going to be the more, the more. So, yes, you know, you do need that. I didn't need that. Mind was outpatient, I drove myself, so naturally I was gonna have to drive myself back. And you guys don't administer medication, you know. So it would have had to been administered, you know, prior to. But you know, I was a big girl and I came out so defeated when I felt I had to go back through. Everybody heard from my position.
Speaker 1:Then everybody heard from me. And rightfully so Rightfully so, so, let's be on our game, you know, let's make sure we're checking all the boxes. Yeah no, let's do that Now. Go ahead, sweetie.
Speaker 2:And that that speak volumes of, you know, not getting ahead of yourself and just being being task oriented, just trying to get the patient in and out and not double checking the order, not double checking what exam really needs, not talking to your patient to see what their symptoms have been, to know oh, I should be doing her neck instead of her head, just slowing down, and usually it's just seconds that you need to slow down and say okay, let me make sure I'm doing the right exam, because this is a long one and we don't want you to have to come back.
Speaker 1:So you know you want to get it right the first time, if you can, because you think of people's time. You know you think of all of that that you're having to put them through, yeah, so you know it still needs to be that. What is it they call it? You know the right place, the right time, the right, yeah, yeah, we need to the five. R's. Yeah, the five R's and we need to do that, not just with surgery, but with anything else that we do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we need to do that to ensure you know quality of care, you know to decrease incidental any incidents that may happen. Yeah, you know, you know, you're really safeguarding yourself, as well as the facility when you take the time to take the time to ensure you have all of the five R's together.
Speaker 2:Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am, You're absolutely right. I've seen it time and time again where the wrong study has been done, or the wrong exam or the wrong part has been done, it's been a left foot instead of a right foot.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And usually, even with the doctor's order, they'll order a left foot and the patient will come in and say, no, it's, I've been having pain in my right foot. Yes and now you got to stop and call the doctor's office to verify, but it beats them having to come back.
Speaker 1:It does, and you have a patient who's alert enough to say yes no, this is not the no. It's my right foot, not my left. Yes, yes. Just think if that patient is nonverbal or already sedated, they can't tell you, they can't give you the correct answers to the questions, right?
Speaker 2:And that's why we rely heavily on the nurses that bring the patients down and or anesthesia team to use they call it stop the lie. And it's just to make sure we are doing the right exam, we are doing the right patient, we are doing the right protocol for this patient, and everybody has to be in agreement before we move forward.
Speaker 2:Yes it's imperative that you feel comfortable saying hey, hey, let's stop, let's verify, make sure this is the right patient, let's verify, this is the right exam we need to be doing. And you have to grow that voice. In healthcare, you can't be bashful, you can't be timid when it comes to another patient's life, when it comes to their health. You have to speak up.
Speaker 1:You have to speak up. I'd rather speak up and take a little bit more time than not say anything just to get a task done.
Speaker 1:Sometimes you just need to cancel the procedure. The patient may be coming in short of breath, okay. Well, that's why I'm already impeding what's going on, because they can't lie flat and it may just have been a turn over the past eight hours that they're feeling this way and they're not the patient that the doctor ordered the MRI on, meaning it is the right patient, but they were a little bit more stable. So you put them in there and they are already short of breath, having some difficulty. You're not benefiting yourself or the patient.
Speaker 2:Correct, because you're not going to get a good reading. Yep, yep, and it's going to have to be done anyway.
Speaker 1:It's going to have to be delayed and redone Absolutely, absolutely Now. Have there been any advances that you're aware of in the MRI, and have those advances really took the accuracy and efficiency up when performing an MRI? Great question.
Speaker 2:Thank you. So there have been many advances, particularly with MRI, one of which is the MRI video and audio component of having an MRI. That has helped tremendously. I'm going to say there's at least 40 to 50% of patients that come to MRI or to have an MRI, whether they're outpatient or inpatient, that cannot have an MRI. They're too claustrophobic to get through it Right. So the audio and video ad. So the audio has been available for quite some time now for the MRI scanners that can listen to music, listen to their favorite podcast while having the MRI. But as of recent years, they have added video. So in some MRI suites you can be either given goggles to look at video of your choice that MRI suite and usually it's either a vacation spot, being on the beach or being on an island, somewhere to kind of take your mind away from actually being in the scanner. Right, and that has helped tremendously. And even with even if you don't have the video aspect of it, there are mirrors that you can put like if patients having a brain MRI usually well, not usually all the time If you have a brain MRI you're going head first into a scanner.
Speaker 2:So when you're going head first into a scanner, that's usually when people are getting set off and their anxiety is going all over the place. Usually, if I can go feet first, if the patients can go feet first, it's much better Right, Then you feel a little bit more in control. But if you go in head first you're like wait a minute, wait, hold on, I don't want to go any further. But when they're having to go head first you can put that mirror on top of the coil or the camera, if you will, and they're able to see outside of the scanner.
Speaker 2:So, I let my claustrophobic patients look at me, scan them so you can see me through the window. I'll go in there and turn up the lights, talk to them, talk to them through the intercom and make sure they can see me properly and I'll say hey, just look at me, I'll be back here doing your exam, taking a sip of water every now and again. Just focus on me. That way you're not having to think about being in this hole. If you will, a lot of people like in it to being in a casket. So if you can take your mind away from that mindset, then, yes, you're able to get through it. So audio and video has been a tremendous help in the MRI world.
Speaker 2:Another advancement in MRI is now. When we were all out during COVID and everybody was getting to work from home, I was one of the jealous ones. Okay, I just said, if I could just scan from home, I would love it. Like, why can't I just scan from home? And little did I know they were already working on a situation where the technologists can scan from home Really. So now they have it, where you can be a technologist. They have all you know, come and set up all your computers and or you go to an off off campus site where they have all the computers and all of that set up for you and you could scan while the patient is at the hospital. You can scan from that off site location or from home. So most places will actually have it set up to where it's off site location.
Speaker 2:But that's an advancement that wasn't here 20 years ago of being able to scan from an off site location, whether your home or in another facility where they house technologies. And though I wanted that so bad, I still have reservations about it because I am so hands on with my patients. I'd like to interact with them, I like to ease their mind and what happens is there is a healthcare personnel assistant that takes your place with the patient and while you're at an off site location, that assistant is there helping the patient get them on the table, you know, getting them prepped and ready to be scanned, and you know that just puts or take the patient care out of your hands really and put it in the assistant's hand. So that's still an issue for me. Even though I would love to scan from home, it's still an issue for me.
Speaker 1:I think, once you've been in the field, let's say for 10 years, any field of healthcare. When it comes to advancements, yes, we want to see them, but we're also a little bit skeptical. Until we have done that dry room right right, we don't want on a patient and I think that takes our anxiety down. Yeah, because, okay, okay, now I see it, this can work, this can work.
Speaker 1:You know, so I think that's where our anxiety comes from, Because I had they were like this is our the rolling around this device, and they were like this hour. I was like, and what does that mean? That is our telephonic neurologist machine. I said, and where's the neurologist? Oh, you know, at home or in the office or the other side of it and I was like mm.
Speaker 1:so you know that piqued my curiosity. So I was like, ok, I can't wait, I want us to have. You know you don't want anybody to come in, but I sure wanted to see how that worked.
Speaker 1:OK, right so they call the radiologist, the neurologist, up and the camera was really good. I mean, I don't know if I know she did the patient, but I was so close to the, to the, to the camera, I wanted to see what she saw, how she saw it, and you know the nurses were assisting with, you know, with repeating her commands because he said his head was hurting so bad he really couldn't hear that well.
Speaker 1:And so we were like, ok, lift up your right hand, you know, make a fifth. And she was like, oh, that looks good Now, having to just kind of turn it, I mean, so she could really see very well with that. So I was just kind of like, oh, not that, nobody's trying to impress me, but I'm you know, you see where technology is going.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes.
Speaker 1:And she had already been sent, or they were in the process of sending her the X-rays and the CT scans that had been done at the hospital prior to the patient coming up to the intensive care unit. So she had all the information she needed. You know that way radiologists, the radiology part of it but her doing that physical exam on that patient via that camera was was impressive, it was impressive. So we are hesitant about technology, but we need technology.
Speaker 2:Yes, so I have learned quite a bit from an, an elder in the MRI world, and my hat goes off to her. She taught me a lot over the years and she started when pacemakers were not scanned at all. Yes, so to have her witness her first pacemaker patient. I mean, she was sweating bullets. I mean she just was not understanding how this was going to work. And I can, I can understand, I empathize with her because, coming from a day where you could kill a patient by having them in an MRI suite with a pacemaker to now we're actually scanning them and I'm the one scanning Mm. Hmm, yeah, that could be quite frightening.
Speaker 1:So, yes, and true, because I'm dating myself, but you know they used to have this sign above a microwave machine Microwave in use. If you have a pacemaker, stay away. You know, you know you're like wow, you know.
Speaker 1:But, as advancement has come, those signs have come down. Some people still have the signs up. I don't know if it's because of the type of microwave it is, or they want to do, the safety of, as you mentioned earlier, how old is the device that has been implanted in you? Ok, so you still have to take those precautions. So, yes, technology is great, but at the same time people who've been around for a minute you know we're kind of hesitant. We definitely want to see the end results and we're not moving until we see those end results.
Speaker 1:Because I remember when, if you had a pacemaker in, ok, no MRI, you get, you don't get an MRI, you're just not going to get it, and that was just it. You had to go with the CT scan.
Speaker 2:Yes so you know.
Speaker 1:So you have alternates, you have alternates and the Herrington rods. You know you couldn't go in, you couldn't go in. You know we're not even taking a chance on you, because that's what that's quality of care. So we're not even taking a chance on the happening to you, because the MRI really did just stop the pacemaker from going and you needed it.
Speaker 2:You know, right, I kind of need that to work. I kind of need that to work, yes, so you know.
Speaker 1:to see it evolve really over the years really has left me in awe but thankful that someone's still working on making things better for people. Yes, you know, so that you can have a better quality outcome with your patients, if you get them in a timely manner and if you know, you know. You know because there's going to be some John Doze and Jane Doze out there that you know nothing about.
Speaker 1:Exactly, and so you're going to have to kind of wait. You can do a CT scan, but you're going to have to kind of wait on an MRI, on these because you can't get any history off at that particular time.
Speaker 2:Right, we're working at one of the local county hospitals here in the Dallas, fort Worth area. They actually give the technologies the go ahead to order certain X-rays. If the patient cannot speak for themselves, if they have no family, if they're too altered to answer questions appropriately, then they actually have the power to order a skull X-ray, a chest X-ray and an abdomen X-ray and those X-rays will clear the patient to the radiologist's satisfaction, will clear the patient well enough for that patient to be able to undergo MRI. Okay, so you're absolutely right. If you have no information on that patient and some facilities, you do not scan that patient because you cannot 100% know what that patient had done. So you do not scan that patient. So you're absolutely right.
Speaker 1:Okay, now, when it comes to the work that you do, the work that you love, I know you have at least one rewarding story that you can share with the audience.
Speaker 2:Yes, I have several, but there's one that I think about often and this lady. She touched my heart in a way, because it brought me back to my mother. I lost my mother to stage four lung cancer and it was one of those situations where I knew that I had to be more professional than a family member, because I liken myself to be a family member to my patients, because it makes it easier to relate to them, it makes it easier to care for them in a meaningful way. But I had to act more on the professional side of it because I was getting teary-eyed Again. I had to roll. You've got to get this done. You've got to get through this. You can't do that. You've got to get this done. You've got to get through this. You can't be crying when you're trying to get this patient done. Well, so back up a little bit.
Speaker 2:This patient's initial visit to MRI with me was a few days prior to and she had just had a stroke and she was all over the place. She had taken all of her clothes off. She was on all fours her knees. She's trying to stand up in her bed. She's trying to get out of the bed. She's doing everything. We can't keep the gown on her. We could not keep her still and of course I have to call it. I said, listen, we cannot do an MRI while this patient is in the state. There is no use in us trying to fight her status and trying to make her still enough to undergo MRI. We will have to settle, as you said, for CT. But in the midst of CT being ready they had a patient in there already. So we kind of let the patient be in MRI until the CT room was available and the care that I had to take with her it was literally holding her like a baby, holding this woman like a baby. That actually got her to calm down and the nurse was like, well, maybe we can get the MRI now. And I'm like, no, let's just leave it here. Let's just leave it here, let's see what the CT shows and then, if the doctor feels necessary, then we could come right back to MRI. If the patient is calm and CT, of course the patient gets to CT. They're all over the place again.
Speaker 2:And then fast forward to a few days later and she's fine now, she's well enough to have an MRI and she remembered me and she soon as they willed her bed into the MRI suite, she started crying. Now I know who. I already knew who was, who was coming down, right, sorry, knew the patient was coming down, coming down and I am, and she already had the build of my mother, she already had the look of my mother. She reminded me a lot of my mother. So when she started crying I'm crying Now we're both crying, we're both crying. I'm like I have to get it together real quick because we have got to get your MRI done and just for, I would say, two or three minutes we hugged. She thanked me. Just thinking about it now just kind of has me a little teary.
Speaker 2:Because you take the time to properly care, you care, caring for another human being, true.
Speaker 2:And if you don't do that first, if you don't have the heart first before running your tests, before drawing blood, before getting a blood pressure, before sticking in them on this hard table expecting them to hold steel, if you're not caring for the heart first, you really, really need to check yourself.
Speaker 2:You really need to ask yourself why am I in health care?
Speaker 2:Because sometimes people have been in it for so many years that they kind of disengage from the patient care aspect of it and it's imperative that we still keep that as part of what we do on a daily basis, because it's necessary to connect with that patient in a way that will have them thinking I need to go back to them.
Speaker 2:I need to go back to this facility, have that technologist do my MRI, because I know she cares and will take the time to show me or instruct me on this exam. That is extremely frightening and we still to this day. She wrote me this incredibly testimony incredible testimony and gave it to the director of radiology and was one of the reasons how I ended up with a big award there at that facility. But that was one instance where and I still read her letter to this day to actually keep me when I have the bad days, when I just don't feel like it, when my daughter has tired me out and I am still having to perform, because that is our duty as health care workers, it still humbles me in a way that I am making a difference. To know that it is an incredible feeling.
Speaker 1:It is one of the nurses I ran into.
Speaker 1:She had not had a good day, I could tell because I'm by her mannerism, but I did not approach her that particular day. I waited, and so I went up to her and I said, if you have not been reported, cursed out, talked about from a family member or patient, you have not done your job. She was like what I said because you do good care, I know you, I know your work, you follow the rules, you are kind. That is just the core of who you are and some people don't like rules and regulations. Those are the family members or the patients that have a guilt complex and they're going to lay it wherever they can. And she looked at me and she smiled and she was like I understand now Because she's good, but she hadn't been in the game as long as I have been in the game and I just told her so it's OK when you've done all that you can do and the best that you can do, that's all you can do. That's still not going to keep someone from complaining about you.
Speaker 1:But you're going to have more good stories of people who tell you I love you, You're the best nurse and that's all you're going to get, and I said so. It's just continue to be who you are and do what you do.
Speaker 1:And she appreciated that and she thanked me for it. So you can't take the human, as you say, out of the patient. You have to stay connected to that human side and I thank you and I applaud you for your service and for your work and your dedication. But before we close, there may be some people who are thinking about going into your field Now. What tips do you have for those individuals, as this being a career opportunity for them?
Speaker 2:Tips I would say realize that you're not just button pushers. We sometimes get that term, we get that term kind of thrown at us as if we're just button pushers. There is a lot and I am still learning, going on close to 15 years in MRI alone, 20 years in health care. But there is a lot you will still continue to learn in MRI and the one, I guess, two, two big areas where I did not think about was having to look up implants, having to look up different implants and if they're conditional or able to be scanned and how long and if they need to be programmed and if our scanner because all scanners are not the same- so, if our particular scanner can actually scan that.
Speaker 2:That is so time consuming and I did not realize how much time I was going to have to put into researching implants.
Speaker 2:So that's one thing. The other thing is I didn't realize how many claustrophobic people there are in this world and most of the people don't realize they are claustrophobic until having to have an MRI. And it's one of those things where you don't realize it until you get into it and you're having to practice patience more than you have ever practiced patience in your life, because some people will just need you to hold their hand, true, true, hold their shoulder, give them a hug, take a few more seconds before hurrying to lay them down, getting this helmet I call sometimes a Hannibal Lecter chamber thing around them and expecting them to hold still for 45 minutes. Take the time to ease the patient's mind and you have to be prepared to do that, because that is a lot of our patient population is claustrophobic patients and you have to be able to take the time to at least ease their mind and get them through it. So those two things I would really encourage anyone looking into MRI to really think about and look up and to see what all that entails.
Speaker 1:OK, ok. Well, it has been a rewarding profession for you. Still is, you have great information. So I hope people who will need an MRI have had an MRI and someone who's thinking about going into this particular field will take this information and run with it, share it. Share it with others, because who knows who's going to need that next MRI?
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, definitely. Share it with your family and friends, definitely.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Well. Do you have any other closing thoughts for us?
Speaker 2:I would like to say that my business impeccable patient care is not only a business and not only something that I consult for. It's something that I have a heart for. If you're in health care period, if you're looking into getting in health care, make sure you have a heart for it first. Please Don't get into it thinking, oh, I'm going to be OK, I don't have to worry about ever really losing my job. Yes, all of those things are true, but realizing that we have people lives in our hands is one of the few careers that you do really, and you need to make sure you're in the right heart frame, not just mind frame, to take on that task 100%.
Speaker 1:I agree with you 100%. If you're not really willing to be patient with people, health care might not be your thing. Correct Patience and health care go together.
Speaker 2:There's no way around it, no way around it.
Speaker 1:So if you're not getting into it because it's one of your heart desires, you think you can make a difference. You don't have to stay at that level that you enter in. There is so much room for advancement. But never forget the patient in the middle of all of this.
Speaker 2:Yes, exactly, exactly.
Speaker 1:Well, chiray, I have enjoyed having you. Thank you for gracing Gentry's journey. Thank you for taking out the time and come and speak with our audience. We will probably be closing with a song after we end this, but thank you so much and good luck on your new venture.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Thank you so much, and if there's anybody who needs to reach out for an MRI word or patient care consultation, or if you have a class of students that needs to know some knowledge on MRI or learn some knowledge on MRI and what it all entails, please don't hesitate to reach out. You can reach me at chirayread, at gmail or info at impeccableptcarehealth. I'm also on LinkedIn at chirayread, the patient care strategist. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1:I will definitely do that because I'm always looking for opportunities to change up the game in the clinical setting when it comes to my students. So thank you so much for that. I know, how to get in touch with you and we will do it, OK.
Speaker 2:Awesome, thank you.
Speaker 1:You have a wonderful day and, hey, god be with you as you go forth and conquer, ok.
Speaker 2:Thank you, you did the same.
Speaker 1:Thank you for having me. You're welcome.