Nebraska Bill Solidifies Radiographer Scope of Practice

On April 13, Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman signed a bill solidifying the scope of practice for all medical radiographers who practice in Nebraska. Prior to the passage of the bill, Nebraska's medical radiographers could not perform any medical functions that did not directly affect radiation dose.

The introduction of the bill was a direct result of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services interpretation of the profession's existing scope of practice that excluded several key functions performed by medical radiographers. The issue was broached during an institutional inspection by CMS in 2009. CMS questioned whether it was in the medical radiographer's scope of practice to move oxygen canisters from one source to another during radiography procedures.

"Our law was so narrowly interpreted that medical radiographers could not legally do many functions that they normally do in their jobs," said Linda Black, B.S., R.T.(R)(M), FASRT, legislative chair of the Nebraska Society of Radiologic Technologists. "It had the potential to seriously impact the delivery of health care in Nebraska and how radiologic technologists do their job."

source: ASRT