Difficult Rad Tech

sunfish · Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 2

I am a 1st year student and am on my 4th rotation. I have been assigned to a rad tech who is constantly belittling and criticizing my every move and yelling. She has no problem yelling across the glass partition that I screwed something up (in front of the patient) to telling me that she told me something once before and I should have gotten it after the 1st time. Patients are now starting to remark to me how they don't appreciate the way she speaks to me and they have told me how I am doing a good job. I've had no other issues with previous rotations and had good evals so far. I am a nervous wreck around her. I have already talked to my clinical instructor and she said this tech has had issues before with the way she treats students. Another tech told me that this tech has made many first years like myself simply break down in clinic. I have tried everything from being as pleasant as I can be to trying to be better so that I don't get yelled at as much but now the tech is so angry with me that she told me that she can't trust me anymore. I have another 2 weeks with this tech and another rotation with her in the summer. Now she has me questioning my own capabilities and has me feeling like I am less than pond scum. Any suggestions?

traineetech · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 15

Hi, sunfish.

I am a trainee tech, and both myself and other students I know have come across people like this whilst on training placements in the past.

Many a time, when it happened to me, I felt like turning round to ther person in question and telling them to just f''k right off! but have stopped myself from doing so, because it just isn't worth it.

Unfortunately, medical imaging, as with countless other professions has its fare share of idiots that you have to work alongside on occasion. People like the person you mention in your post make me sick, because unless you're thick skinned and know that deep down you're good enough to become a tech, then you can end up doubting your abilities and, in worst case scenarios, consider quitting.

My advice to you is to just rise above this idiot and her behaviour. She obviously gets off on it for some reason, and unfortunately, it's not unheard of behaviour atall.

Speak to someone in management about her, and put in a complaint.

Don't let this fools attitude affect you in any way. Keep calm, focus and carry on. You won't be a student forever! Wink

hjhogle · Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 1:10 pm Post subject:

Aren't you lucky to have an opportunity to practice real life working conditions while you're still in training!

Just in case you were operating under the misguided notion that you would get along with every colleague once you graduate and earn your RT, let me point out that every situation that you come across while in training has occurred, is occurring and will continue to occur in every Radiology department.

If you are not able to find a way to make this situation work to your benefit now, what on earth leads you to believe that you will handle it any better as a working radiographer?

traineetech says, "You won't be a student forever!", but becoming an RT will not magically make your working environment "better". There are difficult fellow radiographers, difficult supervisors, difficult physicians, nurses, janitors .. what will you do then? "Speak to someone in management about her, and put in a complaint" every time someone hurts your feelings? Honey, you are going to be one unhappy technologist.

So the trick is to find a way to turn this around between your own ears. For one thing, remember that this RT's attitude is HER problem, don't make it yours. This kind of attitude is not the hallmark of the devil's spawn, it's a sign of an unhappy person. Perhaps she doesn't like working with students (believe it or not, plenty of RT's don't think it's any fun) but she has no choice. There are tons of reasons that people are unhappy at work.

This person is helping you train for working as an RT in the real world. Everybody won't like you, everybody won't treat you with kid gloves and encourage you. So it's a good thing this radiographer is around to let you experience that now.

Everyone is a good example of something. This is not wasted time - ASK YOUSELF WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM HER. Then do your best to learn it and move on.

I would also like to point out that the goal of a good radiography program is NOT to graduate every student. Part of what happens during the course of 2 years is to weed out students who can't cut it in the clinical environment. Whether they can't cut it because of the volume of material, contact with patients ... or dealing with difficult colleagues.

Good luck
hjh, RT

traineetech · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 15

hjhogle, it's common knowledge that students often get treated like shit whilst on training placements. My comment about 'not being a student forever' was meant to try and cheer up the OP.

If he was a qualified raiographer, do you think he'd put up with that shit? No, he wouldn't. He'd more than likely speak to management/make a complaint about that person's attitude. Just because he's a 'mere' student, doesn't mean he should just put up and shut up. Yes, it happens, and yes he shouldn't expect to be treated with kid goves by everyone, but that still doesn't give that idiot the right to treat students like that. What a great student mentor you'd make!

Your pedantic remark "Honey, you are going to be one unhappy technologist" is typical. For your information, I'm not a 'honey' I'm male, 27 years old, and old enough wise enough to know what I'm talking about.

traineetech · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 15

Oh, and re your comment 'This person is helping you train for working as an RT in the real world'

Right, so the way to train potential techs/radiographers is to make them feel like shit, knock their confidence and shout at them infront of patients is it?

Yeah, coz that's just waaaaaay professional isn't it...

wvaio · Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 82

Traineetech take a deep breath...you are gonna blow a gasket. You are making me nervous Smile

Everyone here understands that it SUCKS to be a student. I fully and completely understand how frustrating and emotionally draining it can be to be a student when you have a jerk for a trainer. That being said, hjh is completely right. She was blunt and to the point, yet correct in every way.

Half of "clinicals" is about learning how to take radiographs, the other half is preparing you for the real world experience of working in a radiology department. There is as much to learn about one as there is the other! No one condones the methods used by some technologists when they train students, but these people are everywhere. There is another one born every minute. They are called *******s. Insert your own letters. I thought of a couple good ones.

It is important to learn how to deal with these types of people on a daily basis. In radiology you will encounter *******s quite often. Patients that can not be satisfied. Surgeons that will cry about anything(the worst!). Doctors that will try to belittle you. Co-workers that have an off day everyday. Nurses that are too busy and don't want to be bothered. The list goes on and on and on. You MUST learn to interact with these people to be successful in this or any other field. When the *******s show their face, there will be no one to turn to but yourself.

*Sunfish*, please do not miss the message in hjh's post: "remember that this RT's attitude is HER problem, don't make it yours." This is the key to success! You and only you, control YOUR emotions. There is a huge difference between someone trying to belittle you and you being belittled. You can and should, disregard any attempts by anyone to belittle you or distract you otherwise. It's noise and nothing more. Disregard all noise.

Give it all and Smile Smile

The best of luck to you,
Wvaio
_________________
“Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right.” --- Henry Ford

hjhogle · Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 7:59 pm Post subject:

Actually, traineetech - plenty of RT's put up with the crummy attitudes of their colleagues. Those that do not usually do not complain to management, they deal with the problem directly which sunfish doesn't sound able to do.

If you'll read my initial post carefully, you'll note that I never recommended treating students like "shit" as a valid method of training. If you - as the student - are not using every experience during clinicals as an opportunity to learn something, then you're wasting what could be a valuable lesson.

The truth is, working as an RT in any Radiology dept is high-pressured and stressful. Some handle it well, others not so much. Your co-workers will not be all be friendly or pleasant to work with.

It's important that you take this opportunity during clinical education to learn how to deal with difficult people - patients, their families, your co-workers, supervisors, and etc (in every professsion, just as in the rest of the universe.)

I'm not exactly sure how "Honey, you are going to be one unhappy technologist" (which was addressed to sunfish) qualifies as pedantic. In 30 years as an RT in various positions, it's been my experience that those who become the most unhappy and burn out quickly are those who see themselves as a victim and have the unrealistic expectation that everyone will enjoy working with them.

Good luck
hjh, RT

sunfish · Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 2

Thank you for the replies. I am actually a much older student and have had plenty of experience in the working arena and in dealing with all types of individuals. However, this is my first experience in the medical field. I did try speaking with this tech on an adult level and to find out how we could effectively work together but her response was that it was all my fault because I was too slow and that I did not pick things up the first time around. The whole reason I got into this field is because I am a breast cancer survivor and it was due to uncaring treatment I received, that I felt I could use my experiences to make a difference in the medical care patients received. The road so far has not been an easy but I am determined to make it. Thanks all for your advice.

Smooth23 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 26 Location: Michigan

Sunfish, I feel your pain. First off, I hate how so many programs have built in the idea that you should learn how to interact in the 'real world' with colleagues. I've had my share of real jobs as an adult and the idea that in a paid employment position I would put up with some of the treatment I've had to deal with from techs is insane. It is not something we would normally tolerate, but being students it is not something we have any control over, when the institute basically holds the idea that their generosity in letting you do clinicals there supersedes everything else.

I also have a tech or two that are difficult to work with. One does much of the same stuff as yours and absolutely gets flabbergasted and confused and tries to act like you're stupid when asked legitimate questions in the presence of a patient.. This is on questions they should KNOW, and any other tech can clarify without hesitation.

Remember, you'll be a student for only so long, and if you're lucky never have to work with that individual again.