The 2011 Nuclear Medicine Technology Job Analysis Project of the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists

Abstract

The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) conducts periodic job analysis projects to update the content and eligibility requirements for all certification examinations. In 2009, the ARRT conducted a comprehensive job analysis project to update the content specifications and clinical competency requirements for the nuclear medicine technology examination. ARRT staff and a committee of volunteer nuclear medicine technologists designed a job analysis survey that was sent to a random sample of 1,000 entry-level staff nuclear medicine technologists. Through analysis of the survey data and judgments of the committee, the project resulted in changes to the nuclear medicine technology examination task list, content specifications, and clinical competency requirements. The primary changes inspired by the project were the introduction of CT content to the examination and the expansion of the content covering cardiac procedures.Key Words: nuclear medicine technology job analysis; ARRT nuclear medicine technology exam; ARRT nuclear medicine technology clinical competency requirements J Nucl Med Technol 2010; 38:205-208 DOI: 10.2967/jnmt.110.081596 The job responsibilities of the nuclear medicine technologist are constantly evolving. New technology emerges that makes established procedures obsolete, and improvements in existing technology encourage the incorporation of new equipment and software into the workplace. The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) tracks these trends in the workplace by conducting periodic job analysis projects for all examinations.In 1980, the ARRT conducted its first systematic, largescale effort to document the job functions of entry-level technologists working in nuclear medicine technology (NMT) (1). Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, ARRT conducted a job analysis study every 5 y. More recently, the studies have been performed on a 6-y cycle, with an interim, smallerscale job analysis update performed every 3 y. These updates are important for professions that are constantly evolving because of advances in equipment and technology, ensuring that the content specifications and clinical competency requirements keep up with current practice. The rationale for job analysis is outlined in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (2) and in the standards adopted by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (3). A job analysis project can be summarized as a thorough, systematic study of the activities performed in the work setting. Examination content is then designed to assess the knowledge and skills necessary for competent performance of the job duties identified by the study. MATERIALS AND METHODSA job analysis study for NMT was initiated in January 2009, with a goal of updating the content specifications and clinical competency requirements for the ARRT NMT examination in 2011. The central element of this study was a large-scale survey, conducted to determine what job functions were being performed by nuclear medicine technologists across the co...