Do MRI technician's hours vary like X-ray technicians do?

Question

i would generally think that mri's are scheduled, whereas you may need an x-ray at anytime. I'm thinking of going back to school to become one.

working hours. i know that's a slly question, but i have a BBA, and i really would rather go back to school and get into the healthcare profession.

Answer 1

Hi I am a MRI tech at a large hospital. I always work second shift which is 1500 - 2330, but we do always have one of the techs on call for third shift. I am currently on call until 0700 in the morning. This weekend I go on call at 2300 Friday night and go off call at 0700 Monday morning. In the mean time I have to be at the hospital from 0700 until 1500 both Saturday and Sunday. Yes we do get called in for emergencies or what the doctor feels is an emergency. We are called a lot for stroke symptoms and for trauma patients with spine injuries. The worst call back I have had was at 0300 for a MRI of the testicles. The patient was climbing over a barb wire fence an caught that part of his anatomy; he had a rather large laceration. All we found with the MRI was that he had a laceration. On weekends I have done as many as 16 exams in one day, the call person is the only one there all weekend, needless to say by Monday morning sometimes my personality is not as good as it should be. 18 to 20 hour days were a lot easier on me 20 years ago. We do this every six weeks in my department and work one or two holidays a year. This year I was on Thanksgiving and of coarse the pager goes off just as I am sitting down to eat with my family. Now if you work at a clinic the job is usually nine to five or so, but most hospitals in my area require call even the private speciality hospitals never know when a pt is going to have a problem.

Answer 2

An MRI and X ray are basically the same I mean you could need an MRI in the middle of the night if you are going to have emergency surgery or something of that nature.

If you work for a hospital it could be any hours where as working for an place that just does imaging it would more likely be normal business hours

Answer 3

I asked an R.N. I know and she said , like you pointed out , they are generally scheduled with the exception of an emergency situation .
However , in a city with a larger population and thus a greater demand for an MRI Technician , your hours would probably mean that your skills would be as if you were regularly scheduled for a shift within a 24 hour period .

Answer 4

The correct term is technologist (technician is demeaning).

MRI is not usually done for emergencies (CT is), so yes, generally it is day shift.

Most MRI techs started as a radiologic technologist and cross-trained into MRI. You can find accredited schools here: http://arrt.org/index.html?content=http://www.arrt.org/nd/listOfSchools.ndm/listSchools&iframe=yes

Answer 5

The correct Name is," Technologist,"not Technician and around here the field is saturated and there are very few positions available unless you want to drive to Boston, or take the graveyard shift. People hear it is easy money, but the schooling is intense!

Answer 6

There are training at some colleges, community colleges, scientific and commerce colleges. the section the place you % to pass, you may desire to touch particular colleges and notice what you may desire to take. And, you will would desire to make good grades.