The Impact of a Clinical Nurse on a Research Radiology Imaging and Treatment Clinic

Nuclear medicine is becoming an independent specialty, in need of tailored outpatient nursing care. Most hospitals employ nurses to support the clinical needs of nuclear medicine departments. The radiology nurse must keep abreast of new interventions and technological advancements while providing patient-focused care. The National Institutes of Health molecular imaging clinic (MIC) conducts early phase clinical research studies using radioisotopes, radiopharmaceuticals, optical and magnetic resonance agents for diagnostic imaging and targeted for cancer treatment. The impact of adding a clinical nurse to the MIC can increase patient volume, patient acuity, protocol acuity, and patient safety.

In early 2021, a clinical nurse was added to the MIC, extending treatment options, increasing patient assessments, improving patient safety, and increasing the number of patients seen in the clinic. After the addition of a clinical nurse, the clinic has increased the protocol volume from 6 to 11 protocols with 4 additional protocols pending approval. The patient volume increased by 25% for MRI and 64% for PET scans/radiopharmaceutical treatments between 2020-2022. The MIC is now able to consistently complete protocol-related clinical nursing documentation, protocol-mandated nursing assessments, and collection of diagnostic/research samples. Staffing now supports the care for higher acuity patients and protocols requiring specialty procedures like sedation, administration of medications, intravenous line care, and airway assessment/management. Patient safety has improved with quarterly nurse-led emergency management training for staff (radiologists, research nurses, nuclear technologists, nurses, and patient care technicians). Presence of a clinical nurse allows the technologist to focus on patient care duties related to handling/administration of radiation for scans and therapies while the nurse focuses on patient care, patient education, patient advocacy, and safety.

Prior to gaining a clinical nurse, technologists would have to prepare the radioactive treatment dose in the MIC and travel across several buildings to a lead-lined room on an inpatient unit to administer the dose. Now techs can treat patients in the lead-lined rooms in the MIC. This change decreased the possibility of radioactive spills, limited the area of potential contamination to just the MIC, increased throughput to three treatments per day, and lowered cost. Finally, the addition of a clinical nurse in the MIC provides the opportunity to provide broader services in this evolving clinical setting.