Appendix D to Part 75 - Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists
42:1.0.1.6.62.0.15.4.13 : Appendix D
Appendix D to Part 75 - Standards for Accreditation of Educational
Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists A. Sponsorship
1. Accreditation will be granted to the institution that assumes
primary responsibility for curriculum planning and selection of
course content; coordinates classroom teaching and supervised
clinical education; appoints faculty to the program; receives and
processes applications for admission; and grants the degree or
certificate documenting completion of the program.
2. Educational programs may be established in:
(a) Community and junior colleges, senior colleges, and
universities;
(b) Hospitals and clinics;
(c) Laboratories;
(d) Medical schools;
(e) Postsecondary vocational/technical schools and institutions;
and
(f) Other acceptable institutions which meet comparable
standards.
3. The sponsoring institution and affiliate(s) must be
accredited by a recognized agency. When the sponsoring institution
and affiliate(s) are not so recognized, they may be considered as
meeting the requirements of accreditation if the institution meets
or exceeds established equivalent standards.
4. Responsibilities of the sponsor and each affiliate for
program administration, instruction, supervision, etc., must be
carefully described in written affiliation agreements.
B. Curriculum
Instruction must follow a plan which documents:
1. A structured curriculum including clinical education with
clearly written syllabi which describe learning objectives and
competencies to be achieved. The curriculum shall be based on not
less than one calendar year of full-time study or its
equivalent.
2. The minimum professional curriculum that includes the
following:
(a) Methods of patient care;
(b) Radiation safety and protection;
(c) Nuclear medicine physics;
(d) Radiation physics;
(e) Nuclear instrumentation;
(f) Statistics;
(g) Radionuclide chemistry;
(h) Radiopharmacology;
(i) Departmental organization and function;
(j) Radiation biology;
(k) Nuclear medicine in vivo and in vitro
procedures;
(l) Radionuclide therapy;
(m) Computer applications; and
(n) Clinical practicum.
3. Assignment of appropriate instructional materials.
4. Classroom presentations, discussions, and demonstrations.
5. Supervised practice, experience, and discussions. This shall
include the following:
(a) Patient care and patient recordkeeping;
(b) Participation in the quality assurance program;
(c) The preparation, calculation, identification,
administration, and disposal of radiopharmaceuticals;
(d) Radiation safety techniques that will minimize radiation
exposure to the patient, public, fellow workers, and self;
(e) The performance of an adequate number and variety of imaging
and non-imaging procedures; and
(f) Clinical correlation of nuclear medicine procedures.
6. Evaluation of student's knowledge, problem-solving skills,
and motor and clinical competencies.
7. The competencies necessary for graduation.
C. Resources
1. The program must have qualified program officials. Primary
responsibilities shall include program development, organization,
administration, evaluation, and revision. The following program
officials must be identified:
(a) Program Director - (1) Responsibilities. The
program director of the educational program shall have overall
responsibility for the organization, administration, periodic
review, continued development, and general effectiveness of the
program. The director shall provide supervision and coordination to
the instructional staff in the academic and clinical phases of the
program. Regular visits to the affiliates by the program director
must be scheduled.
(2) Qualifications. The program director must be a
physician or nuclear medicine technologist. The program director
must demonstrate proficiency in instruction, curriculum design,
program planning, and counseling.
(b) Medical Director - (1) Responsibilities. The
medical director of the program shall provide competent medical
direction and shall participate in the clinical instruction. In
multiaffiliate programs each clinical affiliate must have a medical
director.
(2) Qualifications. The medical director must be a
physician qualified in the use of radionuclides and a diplomate of
the American Board(s) of Nuclear Medicine, or Pathology, or
Radiology, or possess suitable equivalent qualifications.
(c) Clinical Supervisor. Each clinical affiliate must
appoint a clinical supervisor.
(1) Responsibilities. The clinical supervisor shall be
responsible for the clinical education and evaluation of students
assigned to that clinical affiliate.
(2) Qualifications. The clinical supervisor must be a
technologist credentialed in nuclear medicine technology.
2. Instructional Staff - (a) Responsibilities. The
instructional staff shall be responsible for instruction in the
didactic and/or clinical phases of the program. They shall submit
course outlines for each course assigned by the program director;
evaluate students and report progress as required by the sponsoring
institution; and cooperate with the program director in the
periodic review and upgrading of course material.
(b) Qualifications. The instructors must be qualified,
knowledgeable, and effective in teaching the subjects assigned.
(c) Instructor-to-student ratio. The
instructor-to-student ratio shall be adequate to achieve the stated
objectives of the curriculum.
(d) Professional development. Accredited programs shall
assure continuing education in the health profession or occupation
and ongoing instruction for the faculty in curriculum design and
teaching techniques.
3. Financial resoures for continued operation of the educational
program must be assured.
4. Physical Resources. (a) General. Adequate
classrooms, laboratories, and other facilities shall be
provided.
(b) Equipment and Supplies. Modern nuclear medicine
equipment, accurately calibrated, in working order, and meeting
applicable Federal and State standards, if any, must be available
for the full range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures as
outlined in the curriculum.
(c) Reference Materials. Reference materials appropriate
to the curriculum shall be readily accessible to students.
(d) Records. Records shall be maintained as dictated by
good educational practices.
5. Instructional Resources. Instructional aids such as
clinical materials, reference materials, demonstration and other
multimedia materials must be provided.
D. Students Admission Requirements
Persons admitted into nuclear medicine technology programs shall
have completed high school or its equivalent. They shall have
completed postsecondary courses in the following areas:
(1) Human anatomy and physiology;
(2) Physics;
(3) Mathematics;
(4) Medical terminology;
(5) Oral and written communications;
(6) General chemistry; and
(7) Medical ethics.
Prerequisites may be completed during nuclear medicine training.
Educational institutions such as junior colleges, universities, and
technical vocational institutes may provide these prerequisite
courses as part of an integrated program in nuclear medicine
technology (i.e., two to four years).
E. Operational Policies
Students may not take the responsibility nor the place of
qualified staff. However, students may be permitted to perform
procedures after demonstrating proficiency, with careful
supervision.
F. Continuing Program Evaluation
1. Periodic and systematic review of the program's effectiveness
must be documented.
2. One element of program evaluation shall be the initial
employment of graduates of the program.
Note:
Educational programs accredited by an organization recognized by
the United States Department of Education are considered to have
met these standards.