| In 1994, Radiology hired its first nurse to monitor patients during angiographies. As technologists assumed specialized roles with increased responsibility, and as Radiology added new procedures, the need for dedicated nurses to monitor and care for patients became clear. Today Radiology has 12 full- and part-time nurses. Nursing Roles in Radiology
Radiology nurses work throughout the Department, wherever patients require nursing care. They spend the majority of their time in Interventional Radiology, which includes an eight-bed recovery room where nurses prepare patients for procedures and manage their recovery and discharge. Nurses also provide pain management and sedation care for many MRI patients who would not otherwise tolerate this environment. In Nuclear Medicine, nurses assist with the care of patients undergoing PET scans and help with other scans by inserting urinary catheters. Nurses monitor and provide sedation and pain management for patients undergoing CT-guided interventional procedures such as biopsies and drain placements, as well as assisting with Cardiac CT imaging. Nurses with different training fill different roles within the Radiology Department, including Clinical Practice Leader, Nurse Practitioner, Staff Nurse, and Patient Care Technician. Clinical Practice Leader
Clinical Practice Leader Christine Kvinlaug, RN, is responsible for supervising all nurses and nursing activity. She ensures that nurses meet Radiology patients' care needs and that they are part of the team wherever needed. The nurses follow a national mandate by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) regarding patient comfort: "We don't assume a patient is comfortable even if they look fine—we directly ask the patient if they are comfortable or not. Nurses traditionally have been people who respond to patients' physical and emotional needs." Nurse Practitioner
Radiology's Nurse Practitioner Shari Evans, APRN, makes sure that each patient's visit goes smoothly. Evans performs some patient procedures independently and assists the VIR team with others. Her other responsibilities include conducting pre-procedure workups and coordinating care during admission, procedures, and after discharge. Registered Nurses
Registered Nurses (RNs) are a valuable part of the clinical radiology team—they are involved in all phases of the patient's procedure, from planning through discharge. Nurses call patients at home, prior to their appointment, to assess for special needs. Upon the patient's arrival the nurse prepares the patient, starts an IV if needed, answers questions, and comforts the patient and family. During procedures, nurses monitor patients, assess patient stability, and administer medications. Nurses prepare the patient for discharge and later make a follow-up telephone call. Patient Care Technicians
Patient Care Technicians are Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). They support staff nurses in many ways—keeping the unit stocked, managing the paperwork, assisting in patient care, and "doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work to really keep this place running smoothly," former Clinical Practice Leader Lori Key said. Research
Nurses in Radiology have the opportunity to participate in independent research. Lori Key worked as co-PI with interventional radiologist John Gemery, MD, on a quality grant. Along with Shari Evans, Key and Gemery studied the Pleurx ™ catheter in palliative care for cancer patients with malignant effusion, a collection of fluid around the lungs. | 
