West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 11 - Medicine › Title 11 - LEGISLATIVE RULE WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF MEDICINE › Series 11-09 - Certification, Disciplinary And Complaint Procedures, Continuing Education, Radiologist Assistants › Section 11-9-14 - Radiologist Assistant Utilization

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
14.1. The tasks a radiologist assistant may
				perform are those which require technical skill, execution of standing orders,
				routine radiologic tasks and procedures which the supervising radiologist may
				wish to delegate to the radiologist assistant after the supervising radiologist
				has satisfied himself or herself as to the ability and competence of the
				radiologist assistant. The supervising radiologist may, with due regard for the
				safety of the patient and in keeping with sound medical practice, delegate to
				the radiologist assistant those radiologic procedures and tasks that are
				usually performed within the scope of the practice of radiology, subject to the
				limitations set forth in this rule at section eight (8) and the West Virginia
				Medical Practice Act, W. Va. Code §
									30-3-1 et
				seq. and the training and expertise of the radiologist assistant.
14.2. The radiologist assistant shall, under
				the appropriate direction and supervision by a radiologist, augment the
				radiologist's data gathering abilities in order to assist the supervising
				radiologist in reaching decisions and instituting plans of care for the
				radiologist's patients. A radiologist assistant shall have, the knowledge and
				competency to perform the following functions and may under appropriate
				supervision perform them; the standard job description is not meant to be
				specific or all-inclusive:
a. Review patient
				medical record to verify the appropriateness of a specific exam or procedure
				and report significant findings to radiologist.
b. Interview patient to obtain, verify, and
				update medical history.
c. Explain
				procedure to patient or significant others, including a description of risks,
				benefits, alternatives, and follow-up. Patient must be able to communicate with
				the radiologist if he/she requests or if any questions arise that cannot be
				appropriately answered by the radiologist assistant.
d. Obtain informed consent. Patient must be
				able to communicate with the radiologist if he/she requests or if any questions
				arise that cannot be appropriately answered by the radiologist
				assistant.
e. Determine if patient
				has followed instructions in preparation for the examination (e.g., diet,
				premedications).
f. Assess and
				review with the radiologist the risk factors that may contraindicate the
				procedure (e.g. health history, medications, pregnancy, psychological
				indicators, alternative medicines).
g. Obtain and evaluate vital signs.
h. Apply ECG leads and be able to recognize
				life threatening abnormalities.
i.
				Perform urinary catheterization. Catheterization can be performed by
				appropriately trained radiologist assistants under general supervision. If a
				patient is known to have an anatomic anomaly, recent surgery in the area, etc.,
				direct supervision would be needed.
j. Perform venipuncture.
k. Monitor IV for flow rate and complications
				in compliance with facility and regulatory rules.
l. Position patient to perform required
				procedure, using immobilization devices and modifying technique as necessary.
				Application of restraints should be in compliance with departmental rules and
				regulations.
m. Assess patient's
				vital signs and level of anxiety/pain and inform radiologist when
				appropriate.
n. Recognize and
				respond to medical emergencies (e.g. drug reactions, cardiac arrest,
				hypoglycemia) and activate emergency response systems, including notification
				of the radiologist.
o. Administer
				oxygen as prescribed.
p. Operate a
				fixed/mobile fluoroscopic unit.
q.
				Assure documentation of fluoroscopy time.
r. Explain effects and potential side effects
				to the patient of the radiopharmaceutical and contrast media required for the
				examination.
s. Administer
				medications, including conscious sedation medications, only under the personal
				supervision of the supervising radiologist.
t. Under direct supervision, meaning the
				radiologist must be present in the office suite and immediately available to
				furnish assistance and directions throughout the performance of the procedure,
				may perform the following fluoroscopic examinations and procedures including
				contrast media administration and operation of fluoroscopic unit:
1. hysterosalpingogram (imaging
				only)
2. port injection
3. contrast injection into joint for MR or CT
				arthrogram
4. PICC line
				placement
u. Under
				general supervision, may perform the following fluoroscopic examinations and
				procedures including contrast media administration and operation of
				fluoroscopic unit:
1. upper GI
2. esophagus
3. small bowel studies
4. barium enema
5. cystogram
6. t-tube cholangiogram
7. retrograde urethrogram
8. nasoentric and oroentric feeding tube
				placement
9.
				fistulogram/sonogram
10.
				loopogram
11. swallowing
				study
12. lower extremity
				venography
13. ductogram
				(galactogram)
v.
				Evaluate images for completeness and diagnostic quality, and recommend
				additional images as required in general radiography, CT or MR. (Additional
				images only in the same modality such as additional CT cuts.)
w. Evaluate images for diagnostic utility and
				report observations to the radiologist in general radiography, CT, and
				MR.
x. Review imaging procedures,
				make initial observations, and communicating observations only to the
				radiologist.
y. Communicate
				radiologist's reports to referring physician consistent with American College
				of Radiology Communication Guidelines.
z. Provide physician-prescribed post care
				instructions (no medicines) to patients.
aa. Perform follow-up patient evaluation and
				communicate findings to the radiologist.
bb. Document procedure in appropriate record
				and document exceptions from established protocol or procedure.
cc. Write patient discharge summary for
				review and co-signature by radiologist.
dd. Participate in quality improvement
				activities within radiology practice (e.g. quality of care, patient flow,
				reject-repeat analysis, patient satisfaction).
ee. Assist with data collection and review
				for clinical trials or other research.
ff. Perform specialized CT/MR post
				processing.