Being an X-ray technician comes with a lot of work and dedication. Like most health care professions, you must be willing to put in the work to become a better x-ray technician.
Most x-ray technicians are paid less than the average salary, while others are paid more. The x-ray tech’s salary actually depends on certain factors. Knowing these factors can step up your game in this profession; increase your status and salary.
Today, we’ ll be looking into the x-ray technician profession and their salary per hour. In addition to this, we’ll be looking at the factors that can influence the salary of an x-ray technician and the steps to take to be a better x-ray technician. Let’s get started.
Table of contents
Who Is An X-Ray Technician?
An X-ray technician is a person who takes x-rays of a patient’s internal anatomy to help a physician in diagnosing an illness, injur,y or disease.
They are also responsible for explaining the x-ray procedures to the patients and ensuring that the patients are exposed to limited amounts of radiation during the process of the x-ray.
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Roles of an X-Ray Technician
X-ray technicians provide aid to physicians and other medical personnel. They make use of some specialty equipment to record x-ray images of patients for radiologists to be able to analyze and interpret.
X-ray technicians are also responsible for positioning patients properly for x-rays and ensuring that the final result (the image) is of the highest quality for it to be visible to the radiologists. Other duties of x-ray technicians include:
- To Inject critical trace agents
- To administer x-ray images
- To Maintain imaging equipment
- To manage radiation exposure for patients and prevent excess radiation during the process
A radiologic or x-ray technician can work in a hospital, long-term care facility, a doctor’s office, and even a clinic.
They can work with different patients regardless of their age and also in various specialties like cardiac, pediatric, pulmonary, and many more.
Responsibilities Of An X-Ray Technician
- An x-ray technician performs the following:
- They verify a patient’s identity and review the physicians’ orders before starting the x-ray procedures.
- They explain x-ray procedures properly to patients and give answers to the patients’ questions.
- They position the patients accordingly; this may include lifting and moving the patients.
- They make use of x-ray equipment to take radiographic images of the patient’s tissues, organs, or bones as per the physician’s orders.
- They work closely with the radiologist to determine whether further tests should be carried out.
- They place lead shields on patients where needed on patients in order to limit patients’ exposure to radiation
- They ensure that the x-ray equipment is in good working order and is serviced regularly.
- They ensure they keep an accurate record of completed x-ray procedures.
- They are in charge of notifying the management of any damaged or malfunctioning x-ray equipment.
- They also ensure that the x-rays taken are of sound quality in order to prevent repeating the procedures
What are the Skills Associated with an X-ray Technician?
X-ray technicians, also known as radiologic technologists or radiographers, are medical professionals who operate X-ray machines to produce images of the human body. They work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and imaging centers, and are responsible for capturing high-quality images to help diagnose medical conditions. Here are some of the key skills associated with an X-ray technician:
- Technical Skills: X-ray technicians must have a strong understanding of medical imaging equipment, including X-ray machines, computed tomography (CT) scanners, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. They must be able to operate this equipment safely and accurately, and must understand how to adjust the equipment to produce high-quality images.
- Patient Care Skills: X-ray technicians work with patients of all ages and must have strong patient care skills. They must be able to explain procedures clearly, answer patient questions, and make patients feel comfortable and at ease during the imaging process.
- Attention to Detail: X-ray technicians must have strong attention to detail to ensure that they capture accurate images. They must follow strict protocols and ensure that they capture images from the correct angles and positions.
- Communication Skills: X-ray technicians must be able to communicate effectively with other medical professionals, including radiologists, nurses, and physicians. They must be able to provide clear and concise reports on their findings and ensure that all necessary documentation is completed accurately.
- Problem-Solving Skills: X-ray technicians may encounter unexpected situations during imaging procedures, such as patients who are unable to cooperate or equipment malfunctions. They must have strong problem-solving skills to address these situations and ensure that imaging procedures are completed successfully.
Steps Necessary To Become A Good X-Ray Technician
Before you can become a good x-ray technician, there are certain requirements that you must attain to proceed in this career. The first requirement is getting a high school diploma.
After you have attained your high school diploma, you should attend an accredited educational program in x-ray technology.
You can go further by gaining an associate degree in radiologic technology through the accredited programs for associate degrees; this program takes two years to finish.
You can also opt-in for the required training and externships. Also, your education can include different courses such as medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, image production, radiographic physics, health science, and psychology.
Having externships and hands-on radiographic procedure laboratory training is also an essential requirement for this profession.
Another requirement you should get is the license and certification. Licensing varies from state to state, so you have to consult with your state boards to get yours because you will need to be licensed to work.
Once you are licensed, you can pursue other certifications like those from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). This will help you stand out from your peers or competitors in your field.
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How Much Does An X-Ray Technician Make An Hour: X Ray Tech Salary?
An x ray technician or radiologic technologist who is licensed by ARRT and probably works in a standard working environment like a hospital or clinic for five days in a week at the normal business time should be earning about $21 to $26 per hour.
This rate is only applicable to an x-ray technician working in a city or a large town in the United States with a population of more than 50,000 and a cost of living index of around 100.
Some of the factors that can result in an increase in an X-ray tech’s salary include being on-call, working shifts outside of the normal business hours like night shifts, swing shifts, weekends or overtime work, and lastly performing callbacks.
Also, when considering an x-ray tech salary, you should look at the cost of living first because it is a very important factor for almost all careers. It determines if your job can suit your lifestyle and the next step to take if it does suit your lifestyle.
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Factors That Determine An X-Ray Tech Salary
According to research, the nationwide average annual salary for an x-ray technician was $61,240 with the highest-earning salary being $82,590 while the lowest being $38,660 or less. The x-ray tech salary actually depends on a lot of factors, these factors include:
- The amount of experience the applicant has already
- The employers’ budget
- The employer’s location; employers from big cities pay more money than small city employers
- The saturation of the market; means the more x-ray technicians seeking jobs in the area, the more the pay will go down
- The size of the hospital
- The type of work environment (clinics tend to pay less than hospitals)
Frequently Asked Questions On How Much Does An X-Ray Technician Make An Hour?
An x-ray technician or a radiology technologist has a duration of two to four years of education ending in an associate degree. Nowadays, some degrees take a bit longer and end with a bachelor’s degree in this field. An x-ray technician is required to earn additional specialized certificates in areas such as MRI or CT.
Compared to other careers that require just two years of schooling, radiography is a growing career with great wages and a lot of employers are in demand for this set of people. According to BLS reports, the mean wage for radiographers and MRI technologists is $61,240 annually.
A general analysis conducted on the demand for x-ray technicians showed an increase in the demand from 2016 to 2026. This is faster when compared to the analysis done on other professions.
As the world population increases, there will surely be an increase in clinical conditions that might require imaging in order to make diagnoses.
These needs might result in high demand for x-ray technicians. So there should be expectancy on the demand of this profession.
If you are an x-ray technician licensed and certified by the American Registration of Radiologic Technologists, you will be well recognized and have a better status than other x-ray technicians. You will also be open and eligible for many job opportunities.
The small health care x-ray technician can earn more and so can the big hospital x-ray technician. Here, the x-ray tech salary depends on the decision of the employer, the location, and the working conditions of the big hospital and health care facility.
Conclusion
Being an x-ray technician is a good career, but you will have to put in the work like most other worthy professions.
One important factor to consider when applying to be an x-ray technician is the x-ray tech salary of the organization you are willing to work at.
An x-ray tech salary depends on the experience of the technician and many other factors but most importantly, it depends on the employer and the location of the organization.
References
www.betterteam.com – X-Ray Technician Job Description
www.cambridgehealth.edu– What Is The Process Of Becoming An X-Ray Technician
www.theradiologictechnologist.com– How Much Does An X-Ray Tech Make An Hour?
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