Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

MRI-Specific Handbook

Program Description

See About the Profession and Our Program for complete descriptions of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging program.

Estimated Tuition & Related Expenses

Program-Specific Policies & Procedures

All Magnetic Resonance Imaging students will be required to sign the Student Responsibility Statement provided to each student.

Supervision of Students

Clinical Supervision of Students:

All MITS students must have adequate and proper supervision during all clinical assignments as specified by individual institutional, program, and accreditation policies. The following policies and procedures apply to UNMC clinical assignments for students, technologists/ therapists, and evaluators.

Supervision of MRI Students:

Students must have adequate and proper supervision during all clinical assignments, which would include direct supervision until specific competency is established, thus allowing the student to perform under indirect supervision. The following policies and procedures apply to UNMC clinical assignments for students, technologists, and evaluators:

Clinical Evaluation:

In a general sense, the duties and responsibilities for clinical evaluations in the Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences Programs are to:

Evaluate students’ required clinical competencies and affective behavior in the clinical setting.
Supervise imaging modalities students’ and determine the necessity of repeat procedures
Provide direct supervision and assistance for all procedures until competency has been evaluated
Complete appropriate evaluation form and return to the clinical instructor or program director
Provide documentation of any unusual, positive, and/or negative incidents involving the student’s performance of clinical objectives or competencies that occurred during the assigned clinical rotation to the clinical instructor or program director
Intervene when a critical error appears imminent and offer corrective instruction or demonstration before proceeding with the procedures.

Supervision of Students:

Students must have adequate and proper supervision during all clinical assignments, which would include direct supervision until specific competency is established, thus allowing the student to perform under indirect supervision. A staff technologist is responsible for determining the degree of student participation in diagnostic MRI procedures.

Direct supervision is defined as:

The staff technologist reviews the examination request to determine the capability of the student to perform the examination with reasonable success, and determines if the condition of the patient contraindicates performance of the exam by the student.
The staff technologist reviews the patient safety and screening forms with the student before allowing the patient entry to the MRI suite.
The staff technologist is physically present during the procedure.
The staff technologist checks the exam and approves the exam prior to the dismissal of the patient.

Indirect supervision is defined as:

The staff technologist is immediately available to assist students regardless of the level of student achievement.

“Immediately available” is interpreted as the physical presence of a qualified MRI technologist adjacent to the room or location where an MRI procedure is being performed.

Procedure for Clinical Evaluations

Clinical evaluations include the three domains of learning: cognitive (knowledge), affective (professional behaviors), and psychomotor (technical skills).
1. The student will receive a minimum of two evaluations for affective, psychomotor, and cognitive areas in the program before the midpoint of the clinical component of the program. Any ongoing issues will be identified, discussed, and verbal counseling will be documented.
Students who perform at a non-acceptable level as defined by the program, in any of the three domains, may be placed on academic probation.
1. Students will be notified of the nature of the problem and discuss ways to improve.
2. The length of the probationary period will be clearly defined on an individual basis.
3. At a defined time the student will receive another evaluation. If improvement is not demonstrated, the student will be removed from clinic and a failing grade can be issued for the clinical course. A committee of program directors in the department will assess and determine if dismissal from the program will be recommended.
4. If improvement is shown the student may either be removed from probation or probation may be continued for a defined time.
5. If the behavior is noted again at any time during the remainder of the program, the student will immediately receive a failing grade for the course and be recommended for dismissal.

MRI Safety Policy

In MRI, the magnetic field is ALWAYS on. The MRI student will comply with each clinical site’s policies and procedures pertaining to metallic objects being introduced into the MRI scanning suite. Carrying ferromagnetic articles or introducing them to the MRI scanning area is strictly prohibited. These objects can become projectiles within the scanning room causing serious injury or death and/or equipment failure. This would include but not limited to: oxygen tanks, wheelchairs, carts, monitors, IV poles, laundry hampers, tools, furniture, personal ferromagnetic items (i.e., cell phone), etc. Students, upon matriculation, will have been screened for MRI compatibility and are required to notify the MRI Program Director immediately if their safety status changes due to a surgical implant, personal injury, or any other event during the course of their time in the MRI Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Clinical Compliance

Accidents/Incidents:

As general policy, MITS students will comply with the policies and procedures with the clinical site at which they are assigned. It is the policy that there be written reports of all unusual incidents/accidents. An incident is an unusual occurrence that is not consistent with the routine operation of the institution or clinical rotation, which may or did cause harm, involves possible negligence, requires some immediate consideration or action by a supervisor.

A student enrolled in a program in the Department of Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences is expected to provide prompt, complete and accurate written documentation of the details related to any accidents/incidents, thus enabling corrective actions and/or programs for prevention. The program adheres to the Infection Control Policy for University Hospitals and Clinics. Students with signs and symptoms of an infectious process should report immediately to the program director for appropriate referral.

All accidents/incidents must immediately be reported to the clinical supervisor or immediate person in charge. Proper report forms must be completed.

Equipment Use and Operation:

The professions in Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences employ the use of highly specialized equipment. Any equipment failure or equipment that is not in proper working order must be reported immediately to the technical supervisor. Do not place any calls to equipment representatives. Do not attempt to repair.

Blood Borne Pathogens Exposure Plan for Students:

Campus Blood Borne Pathogen Exposure (on and off campus): Students must call the Medical Communication Center at 402-559-6824 or the OUCH pager at 402-888-6824 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) ASAP and report to the nearest emergency room for appropriate blood borne pathogen procedures. On the next work day, please call the Student Health office at 402-559-5158 with information regarding your ED visit.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Student Pregnancy Policy

Pregnant students are permitted to work in and around the MR environment throughout all stages of their pregnancy. Acceptable activities include but are not limited to: positioning patients, scanning, archiving, injecting contrast material, and entering the MR scan room in response to an emergency. Although permitted to work in and around the MR environment, pregnant students are requested not to remain within the MR scanner bore or Zone IV during actual data acquisition or scanning.

Pregnancy

The pregnancy policy is a voluntary program intended to provide safety for pregnant students and their fetus that are considered occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation. In the event of a suspected or confirmed pregnancy, it is the responsibility of the student to advise her program director in writing of her condition. Pregnancy will not affect the student’s enrollment in the academic courses in the program. However, due to the physical requirements placed upon the student in the clinical courses and assignments, and in order to comply with 180 NAC 004.13 (10 CFR Part 20.1208) to keep the radiation exposure to the fetus as low as reasonably achievable (no more than 500 mrem during the entire gestation period), the following procedures will apply:

The student may voluntarily report suspected or confirmed pregnancy to the program director. At that time the UNMC/ Nebraska Medicine policies and procedures and the MITS Student Policies and Procedures Manual pregnancy policy will be reviewed with the student. Once the student has elected to declare suspected or confirmed pregnancy, the student should:
Complete the “UNIVERSITY of NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER DECLARATION OF PREGNANCY” form and forward it to the Radiation Safety Office.
The Radiation Safety Office will determine the estimated radiation dose from time of conception to the date of declaration based on dosimetry records and calculate the permissible remaining dose to the embryo/fetus for the remainder of the pregnancy. (See form).
Upon review of the findings and recommendations of the Radiation Safety Officer or Medical Radiation Physicist, clinical assignments will be reviewed. Clinical assignments will only be altered if the fetus received the maximum permissible dose as stated by 180 NAC 004.13 (10 CFR Part 20.1208). Any clinical competencies not completed for reasons related to pregnancy must be successfully completed prior to graduation.
Provide the program director with written indication of intent to:
1. continue in the program, or
2. take a medical leave of absence with intent to complete the program (form available from CAHP Academic & Student Affairs), or
3. withdraw from the program (form available from CAHP Academic and Student Affairs).
The student should provide the program director with written consent from her physician providing medical advice for:
1. continuing in the program as a full-time student, and/or
2. any limitations placed upon the student while enrolled in the program.
A student may also voluntarily withdraw their declaration of pregnancy in writing at any time. (See form.)

Academic Probation

See CAHP academic probation policy.

Student Grievance

Purpose: The MITS Department strives to promote an educational environment that values fair and equitable treatment among students, faculty, and staff. Despite this goal, differences among individuals may occasionally lead to conflicting circumstances that require a process for resolution to take place. The purpose of the Student Grievance Policy is to provide a framework to effectively resolve any justified complaint or grievance without retaliation.

Examples or Types of Grievances (but not limited to):

Acts or threats of intimidation
Acts or threats of physical aggression
Acts of bias or unfair treatment by a fellow student, faculty or staff member which adversely effects the learning process
Violation of student rights and responsibilities

Procedure:

Informal Process - Ideally, grievances can be resolved informally among the parties involved. Therefore, before a formal grievance process takes place, the student is encouraged to meet with the individual whose behavior warranted the grievance. If this action is not feasible, the student should contact the program director for possible resolution. A final option for informal resolution is to utilize an Ombudsperson. The Ombudsperson identified for students on the UNMC campus is located in the Student Counseling Department. The informal meeting must take place within two weeks of the occurrence that caused the grievance.
Formal Process- If the student is not satisfied with the results of the informal process, or an informal resolution is not possible then he/she should initiate the formal process within 30 days of the occurrence.
1. A formal statement of the grievance must be presented in writing to the MITS Division Associate Director within the timeframe specified. (If the Associate Director is the individual involved, then the formal statement should be submitted to the Dean of the College of Allied Health Professions). The formal statement must include the following items: A) Full name, address, and telephone number of the person(s) making the charge; B) Full name of each person being charged, location of employment, and work telephone number; C) A concise and factual description of the specific incident(s) surrounding the grievance violation (the description should include a timeline of events); D) A proposed resolution
2. The Chair (Executive Associate Dean, if applicable) will review the facts surrounding the grievance. If there is justified evidence that a grievance exists, then the grievance will be forwarded to the CAHP Student Grievance Committee.
3. Within two weeks after receiving the alleged grievance, the committee members will review the statement, convene to discuss the issues at hand, hear testimony, and consider all other facts pertaining to the grievance.
4. Both parties will have the right to present testimony, evidence, and witnesses. Each party shall have the right to seek legal counsel in the preparation of statements concerning the grievance; however, they may not be represented by counsel in discussions with the committee. Each party shall have the right to hear all testimony surrounding the grievance. The hearing will be closed to the public.
5. In all proceedings where the complaint touches upon questions of policies, rules and regulations, the CAHP Student Grievance Committee shall be guided by written policies, rules and regulations. The committee will make a decision on the grievance charge after reviewing all facts, testimony, and documentation. The committee’s decision or resolution will be made within two weeks following the hearing. Both parties involved will be notified of the decision in writing. A summary record of the proceedings will be maintained in a confidential file.

The student may appeal the decision of the Student Grievance Committee, to the Office of the Dean. The Dean will review all documents surrounding the grievance, and make a decision within two weeks of receiving the appeal. Both parties involved will be notified of the decision in writing. The decision by the Dean will be final.

MITS Dress Code Policy

MITS Dress Code Policy: All students will dress in a professional manner, appropriate for the situation and according to the following guidelines.

All MITS students will wear Caribbean Blue scrubs with or without a Caribbean Blue lab jacket for both class and clinic.
The uniform top will have the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine logo on upper left chest. All uniforms should be purchased online here.
A solid white or gray shirt may be worn under the scrub top and must be tucked into the scrub pant.
Pant hemlines should not touch or drag on the ground.
Simple jewelry may be worn with the uniform, i.e., small earrings, wedding rings, and watches.
1. Visible piercings and transdermal implants must be removed or covered except ear piercings.
2. Ear gauges must be plugged with flesh colored plugs while in clinic.
3. Earrings must be small and not touching the neck.
4. Bandanas are not permitted.
Visible tattoos that are larger than 2”x2” or clearly offensive, including but not limited to hateful, violent, profane and/or nudity, must be completely covered.
Flat, enclosed-toe, neutral colored shoes are acceptable. Socks must be worn at all times.
Students assigned to a surgery rotation will follow the surgical dress code policy of the clinical facility in which he or she is rotating.
1. Students are to wear from home their uniform or proper street clothing and then change into clean scrubs after they arrive at the hospital/clinic. At the end of the shift, the students are to change back into their uniform or proper street clothing.
2. All scrub clothing provided by the hospital/clinic may not be removed from the property. Scrubs must not be worn outside of the hospital/clinic buildings.
Proper UNMC photo ID and personnel monitoring devices must be worn at all times. The ID must be visible at all times to identify student status.

Students are held responsible for their appearance and will be dismissed from clinic if inappropriately attired, or groomed. If a student is sent home from clinic due to a dress code violation, the amount of time missed from clinic will be deducted from the student comp time allotment.

Use of Technology

Personal phone calls during clinic hours must be kept to a minimum.
Personal technology may not be used during class or clinic unless for educational purposes as approved by class or clinical instructors.
Only department computers may be used for documenting clock in and clock out procedures via Trajecsys. Personal technology may not be used for this function.

Student Leave Time

Students enrolled in the Department of MITS are given 16 hours of leave time for personal affairs each semester. It is intended to provide necessary time for planned or unplanned events without jeopardizing the student’s attendance record. Regarding the use of student leave time, the following guidelines must be followed:

Unused time allotted is not transferrable to a successive semester.
Allotted hours may be used for such things as illness, funerals, medical and dental appointments, job interviews, or vacations.
All leave time for reasons other than illness must have prior approval of the program director.
Students taking more than the allotted number of hours will be required to make up the time according to the discretion of the program director.
Unauthorized absenteeism may result in disciplinary actions.
A student may be required to furnish satisfactory medical proof of illness, disability or dental work.
Students must contact the person in charge of the assigned clinical area and/or the program director 30 minutes prior to time assigned for arrival if they are unable to attend the scheduled day unless directed otherwise by their program director.
It is recommended that suspected and confirmed pregnancy be reported to the program director. Time lost due to pregnancy must be made up according to the decision of the program director based on the Radiation Protection and Pregnancy Policies contained in this document.
Full time students may request up to 5 days of funeral/bereavement leave in the event of a death of an immediate family member. Documentation may need to be provided upon request.
Students may voluntarily choose to spend additional authorized time participating in clinic procedures over and above their scheduled hours as long as the student continues to perform in the student capacity, including direct supervision and holding only student clinical responsibilities. However, no compensation time will be awarded.

Compensation Time Guide

Provision of compensation time is intended to ensure fair, uniform, and impartial treatment for all students. Students may voluntarily choose to spend additional authorized time participating in clinic procedures over and above their scheduled hours as long as the student continues to perform in the student capacity, including direct supervision and holding only student clinical responsibilities.

Personal time for professional meetings

The MITS Department supports participation in professional organizations relevant to the student’s professional growth and development. Therefore, students may qualify for time for documented attendance and involvement in these activities. See program director for more information.

Student Employment Guidelines

Opportunities for student employment may exist in the clinic departments and may be initiated and/or discontinued as dictated by manpower needs.

Students may not take the place of regular staff in the clinical areas to which they are assigned. It is appropriate, however, for students to assume the responsibility for performing defined activities and tasks, with adequate direction and supervision, after demonstration of clinical competencies.
Students may be employed in a clinical setting outside regular educational hours, provided this work does not interfere with their academic responsibilities. In addition, student employment in the clinical setting is non-compulsory and is subject to standard employee policies.

Personal Property

UNMC and all clinical affiliate sites are not responsible for your valuable possessions. All valuables and money should be monitored closely by each individual.

Policy for Authorship of Student/Scientific Papers and/or Presentations

It is a tradition and common accepted practice amongst academic institutions that scientific papers and posters submitted for consideration of publication or presentation include as an author the student’s advisor, program director, professor, department chairperson, or any other similar individual that had a direct relationship to the student and the material being presented.

The Dean's List policy is in the Academic_Policies_and_Procedures section 1.15.

Inclement Weather Policy

As a general rule, MITS does not cancel classes/clinical rotations because of weather. Students should make their own decision when travel appears to be hazardous. If a student feels they are unable to travel to campus, it is the student's responsibility to communicate with their program director and/or clinical faculty. The amount of time will be deducted from their personal leave.