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Occupation Profile
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Occupation: Nuclear Medicine Technologists Change Occupation
State: Pennsylvania Change State
Profile Content: (content listed below) Modify Profile Content
Wages  |  Employment Trends  |  Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities  |  Tasks & Activities
Tools & Technology  |  Education & Training  |  Related Occupations
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NUCLEAR MEDICINE TECHNOLOGISTS: PENNSYLVANIA

Occupation Description

Prepare, administer, and measure radioactive isotopes in therapeutic, diagnostic, and tracer studies utilizing a variety of radioisotope equipment. Prepare stock solutions of radioactive materials and calculate doses to be administered by radiologists. Subject patients to radiation. Execute blood volume, red cell survival, and fat absorption studies following standard laboratory techniques.


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Nuclear Medicine Technologists
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State and National Wages

Location Pay
Period		 2008
10% 25% Median 75% 90%
United States Hourly $23.29 $27.53 $32.05 $37.61 $42.20
Yearly $48,400 $57,300 $66,700 $78,200 $87,800
Pennsylvania Hourly $19.83 $23.32 $28.28 $33.46 $38.58
Yearly $41,200 $48,500 $58,800 $69,600 $80,200
Annual Wages for Nuclear Medicine Technologists

United States - $87,800 United States - $66,700 United States - $48,500 Pennsylvania - $80,300 Pennsylvania - $58,800 Pennsylvania - $41,300
  • High is the wage at which 90% of workers earn less and 10% earn more.
  • Middle is the wage at which 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more.
  • Low is the wage at which 10% of workers earn less and 90% earn more.

Hourly Wages for Nuclear Medicine Technologists

United States - $42.2 United States - $32.05 United States - $23.29 Pennsylvania - $38.58 Pennsylvania - $28.28 Pennsylvania - $19.83
  • High is the wage at which 90% of workers earn less and 10% earn more.
  • Middle is the wage at which 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more.
  • Low is the wage at which 10% of workers earn less and 90% earn more.

Occupation Wages FAQs

Median Wage by Occupation Across States
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National Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Survey
State Data Source: Pennsylvania Workforce Statistics

State and National Trends

United States Employment Percent
Change		 Job Openings 1
2008 2018
Nuclear medicine technologists 21,800 25,400 +16% 670
Pennsylvania Employment Percent
Change		 Job Openings 1
2006 2016
Nuclear medicine technologists 1,200 1,350 +12% 50
1Job Openings refers to the average annual job openings due to growth and net replacement.

Note: The data for the State Employment Trends and the National Employment Trends are not directly comparable. The projections period for state data is 2006-2016, while the projections period for national data is 2008-2018.

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National Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections
State Data Source: Pennsylvania Center for Workforce Information & Analysis

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The most important knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) are listed for Nuclear Medicine Technologists.

Knowledge:

  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills:

  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities:

  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Source: Occupational Information Network: Nuclear Medicine Technologists.

Tasks and Activities

Occupation specific tasks and the most important generalized work activities are listed for Nuclear Medicine Technologists.

Occupation Specific Tasks:

  • Add radioactive substances to biological specimens, such as blood, urine and feces, to determine therapeutic drug or hormone levels.
  • Administer radiopharmaceuticals or radiation intravenously to detect or treat diseases, using radioisotope equipment, under direction of a physician.
  • Calculate, measure and record radiation dosage or radiopharmaceuticals received, used and disposed, using computer and following physician's prescription.
  • Detect and map radiopharmaceuticals in patients' bodies, using a camera to produce photographic or computer images.
  • Develop treatment procedures for nuclear medicine treatment programs.
  • Dispose of radioactive materials and store radiopharmaceuticals, following radiation safety procedures.
  • Explain test procedures and safety precautions to patients and provide them with assistance during test procedures.
  • Gather information on patients' illnesses and medical history to guide the choice of diagnostic procedures for therapy.
  • Maintain and calibrate radioisotope and laboratory equipment.
  • Measure glandular activity, blood volume, red cell survival, and radioactivity of patient, using scanners, Geiger counters, scintillometers, and other laboratory equipment.
  • Perform quality control checks on laboratory equipment and cameras.
  • Position radiation fields, radiation beams, and patient to allow for most effective treatment of patient's disease, using computer.
  • Prepare stock radiopharmaceuticals, adhering to safety standards that minimize radiation exposure to workers and patients.
  • Process cardiac function studies, using computer.
  • Produce a computer-generated or film image for interpretation by a physician.
  • Record and process results of procedures.
  • Train and supervise student or subordinate nuclear medicine technologists.

Generalized Work Activities:

  • Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Detailed Work Activities:

  • administer injections
  • administer radioactive isotopes
  • analyze medical data
  • calculate radiation dosage, following physician's prescription
  • collect clinical data
  • communicate technical information
  • explain testing procedures to patient
  • follow clinical radiation safety procedures
  • follow dental or medical office procedures
  • follow dental or medical x-ray procedures
  • follow patient care procedures
  • follow patient observation procedures
  • identify body response variations
  • inventory medical supplies or instruments
  • make decisions
  • make presentations on health or medical issues
  • observe patient condition
  • prepare patients for tests, therapy, or treatments
  • prepare radioactive isotopes for therapeutic applications
  • understand properties or composition of drugs
  • understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
  • use clinical sterilizing technique
  • use darkroom procedures in radiology or medical or dental lab setting
  • use emergency medical procedures
  • use hazardous materials information
  • use knowledge of investigation techniques
  • use knowledge of medical terminology
  • use medical diagnostic equipment
  • use quality assurance techniques
  • use sanitation practices in health care settings

Source: Occupational Information Network: Nuclear Medicine Technologists.

Tools and Technology

Nuclear Medicine Technologists  View Detailed Report

Tools:

  • Hypodermic needles - Intramuscular hypodermic needles, Subcutaneous hypodermic needles
  • Liquid scintillation counters - Automated multisample liquid scintillation counters, Well counters
  • Medical computed tomography CT or CAT quality assurance or calibration phantoms or devices - Positron emission tomography PET calibration phantoms, Single positron emission computed tomography SPECT calibration phantoms
  • Medical gamma cameras for general use - Dual headed gamma cameras, Large-field gamma cameras, Medical gamma cameras, Mobile gamma cameras, Rotating gamma cameras
  • Radiation detectors - Digital ratemeters, Geiger-Mueller G-M meters, Ion chamber survey meters, Radiation survey meters, Radiation uptake detectors

Technology:

  • Electronic mail software - Microsoft Outlook
  • Medical software - Electronic medical record EMR software, Gamma camera software, Medovation RadRunner, Radiopharmacy inventory databases
  • Office suite software - Microsoft Office software
  • Spreadsheet software - Microsoft Excel
  • Word processing software - Microsoft Word

Source: Occupational Information Network: Nuclear Medicine Technologists.

Education and Training

Occupation: Nuclear Medicine Technologists
Most Common Educational/Training Level: Associate degree
Related Instructional Programs:

  • Nuclear Medical Technology/Technologist
  • Radiation Protection/Health Physics Technician
Distribution of Educational Attainment
Occupation Percent of employees aged 25 to 44 in the occupation whose highest level of educational attainment is
Less than high school diploma High school diploma or equivalent Some college, no degree Associate's degree Bachelor's degree Master's degree Doctoral or professional degree
Nuclear medicine technologists 0.7% 8.7% 21.6% 45.3% 19.4% 2% 2.3%
Health Technologists and Technicians 1.9% 19.6% 29.5% 25.6% 19.1% 2.3% 2.1%
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical 1.2% 10.4% 15.4% 15.4% 20.7% 11.6% 25.2%
Total, All Occupations 10.7% 27.6% 20.6% 8.9% 19.4% 8.3% 4.5%

Find colleges, training schools and instructional programs for this occupation.

Find education and training programs where you can earn a certificate, diploma, or award in less than 2 years with the Short-Term Training Finder.

Access additional Education Resources in the Career Resource Library.

Use the Financial Aid Advisor to help find funds for financing education.

WIA Eligible Training Provider List: http://www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us/homeframe.asp?function=trainprov

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections (Education/Training Level, Educational Attainment); National Center for Education Statistics (Typical Instructional Programs)

Related Occupation Profiles
Occupations with similar skill requirements

Web Resources

The following resources are related to occupations in the job family
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners
Health Technologists and Technicians
Other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners
Health Technologists and Technicians
Other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations


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