Comments on: MRI Technologist Sues For MRI Safety http://mrimetaldetector.com/blog/2009/04/mri-technologist-sues-for-safety/ Info on ferromagnetic detection and MRI safety & screening Fri, 30 Mar 2012 04:59:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MRI for Technologists | Medical Imaging Science http://mrimetaldetector.com/blog/2009/04/mri-technologist-sues-for-safety/comment-page-1/#comment-65354 MRI for Technologists | Medical Imaging Science Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:24:27 +0000 http://mrimetaldetector.com/blog/?p=430#comment-65354 [...] Mouse here for Related LinksMRI Technologist Sues For MRI Safety [...] [...] Mouse here for Related LinksMRI Technologist Sues For MRI Safety [...]

]]> By: Jonathon D Grossman http://mrimetaldetector.com/blog/2009/04/mri-technologist-sues-for-safety/comment-page-1/#comment-1210 Jonathon D Grossman Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:08:01 +0000 http://mrimetaldetector.com/blog/?p=430#comment-1210 There are so many questions left to be answered such as: Was this facility ACR accredited? Were broken coils (ie with exposed wires etc) used on patients? Was the facility losing business due to inferior image quality? I could go on with more. The heart of the matter to me is the mindset of "we have never had an accident so we must be operating safely." I have witnessed this kind of dangerous complacency infect an entire MRI department, but attempting to affect a change from a staff level position is next to impossible in my experience. You can be as tactful and well referenced with your presentation but without support from the chain of command it is almost futile. Why? Because they are blinded to the dangers since they have become comfortable in the mode of operation without serious incident, OR if there were incidents they are most likely not reported-which was the case with an employer I worked for. The best solution that I have found as a staff level employee when all attempts at helping improve the practices of a facility fail is to find another job elsewhere. You've done your part in identifying the problem, but it isn't your responsibility to correct it and so it is better to find an opportunity elsewhere than to fight with an employer who isn't looking to grow. Think about it, if they're producing sub-standard images and aren't maintaining their equipment, then there is a serious opportunity for competition to shut them out of the market. Maybe this girl's energy could have been better focused on opening a new imaging center down the street! There are so many questions left to be answered such as: Was this facility ACR accredited? Were broken coils (ie with exposed wires etc) used on patients? Was the facility losing business due to inferior image quality? I could go on with more. The heart of the matter to me is the mindset of “we have never had an accident so we must be operating safely.” I have witnessed this kind of dangerous complacency infect an entire MRI department, but attempting to affect a change from a staff level position is next to impossible in my experience. You can be as tactful and well referenced with your presentation but without support from the chain of command it is almost futile. Why? Because they are blinded to the dangers since they have become comfortable in the mode of operation without serious incident, OR if there were incidents they are most likely not reported-which was the case with an employer I worked for.

The best solution that I have found as a staff level employee when all attempts at helping improve the practices of a facility fail is to find another job elsewhere. You’ve done your part in identifying the problem, but it isn’t your responsibility to correct it and so it is better to find an opportunity elsewhere than to fight with an employer who isn’t looking to grow. Think about it, if they’re producing sub-standard images and aren’t maintaining their equipment, then there is a serious opportunity for competition to shut them out of the market. Maybe this girl’s energy could have been better focused on opening a new imaging center down the street!

]]> By: Michael Gilliam http://mrimetaldetector.com/blog/2009/04/mri-technologist-sues-for-safety/comment-page-1/#comment-796 Michael Gilliam Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:45:49 +0000 http://mrimetaldetector.com/blog/?p=430#comment-796 I agree that these cases will greatly effect the safety practices of all MRI technologist working in the field because they will undoubtedly be used by all sides of the issues as having set precedence. I was taught that we are not only held responsible for the safety of the patient, ourselves and the staff that we work with, but that we are also held to the written account of events. It will be interesting to see how this wrongful termination suite turns out as it will likely effect the standards of how damage is recorded at sites by technologists as well as how well the employer records the reasons for dismissal. If you havn't followed the official policies of your profession then you are liable just as if you have but havn't properly recorded it. I agree that these cases will greatly effect the safety practices of all MRI technologist working in the field because they will undoubtedly be used by all sides of the issues as having set precedence. I was taught that we are not only held responsible for the safety of the patient, ourselves and the staff that we work with, but that we are also held to the written account of events. It will be interesting to see how this wrongful termination suite turns out as it will likely effect the standards of how damage is recorded at sites by technologists as well as how well the employer records the reasons for dismissal. If you havn’t followed the official policies of your profession then you are liable just as if you have but havn’t properly recorded it.

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