Essential Information
Radiology nurses provide patient care and monitoring to patients receiving radiologic procedures, such as angioplasties, biopsies and CT scans. Specific academic programs in radiology nursing don't exist, though prospective nurses can get some preliminary education through a nursing program and follow it up with targeted continuing education and/or work experience. Working in a radiology nursing position requires the completion of a nursing program, at a minimum, and a current registered nurse (RN) license.
Optional certification from the Radiologic Nursing Certification Board (RNCB) is also available. Certification as a Certified Radiology Nurse (CRN) requires applicants to have a current RN license, 2,000 hours of experience in radiology nursing in the last three years and a passing score on the certification exam. Continuing education is also required to maintain certification.
Some concepts typically learned in these courses are:
- Basic information regarding the human body and its structures
- Understanding of the basic uses of medical and lab equipment
- Ability to prepare samples for analysis in a clinical setting
- Learn basic terminology and concepts in the radiology nursing field
- Apply knowledge learned in courses to solve problems related to radiology nursing
List of Courses in Nursing
Human Anatomy and Physiology Course
Students learn the basics of the structure and function of the human body, including the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive systems. More advanced course material also examines the balance between body elements such as acids, bases, fluids and electrolytes (homeostasis).
Medical Terminology Course
Students learn to interpret and define the basic elements of medical terminology such as prefixes, suffixes and root words. In addition, the coursework also covers the pronunciation and structure of words relating to common abbreviations used in diagnostic radiation, oncology, pharmacology and other clinical procedures.
Clinical Chemistry Course
This course covers principles, methods and common instruments used in the analysis of biochemical substance in medical laboratories. The coursework introduces students to basic laboratory techniques and terms, as well as many of the basic elements of chemistry and biological science.
Healthcare Ethics Course
Courses of this nature discuss the ethical dilemmas faced on the job in a healthcare setting. The points of focus are typically codes of ethics and strategies for dealing with ethical problems. The roles and duties of healthcare providers and administration are also discussed.
American Healthcare Systems Courses
Courses on the American healthcare system are designed to teach students with an introduction to health and healthcare in America. The roles of government and private practice are covered, as well as recent reform, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
