32-2841

32-2841. Mammographic technologists; certification

A. A person who wishes to perform diagnostic or screening mammography as defined in section 30-651 shall obtain a mammographic technologist certificate from the board. The board shall issue a certificate to an applicant who:

1. Pays a twenty dollar application fee.

2. Holds a current radiologic technologist certificate issued by the board.

3. Completes the education requirements of subsection B of this section.

4. Passes an examination as prescribed in subsection C of this section.

B. To satisfy the education requirements of subsection A of this section, an applicant for certification shall complete forty hours of didactic instruction and at least one hundred sixty hours of clinical instruction taught by a facility accredited by the American college of radiology or licensed by this state. Courses shall be taught by instructors who have completed at least four hundred mammograms in the previous year. Clinical instruction shall be competency based and positions that cannot be tested on patients shall be tested through simulations. Didactic and clinical instruction shall include the following:

1. The anatomy and physiology of the breast.

2. Classification of breast tissue.

3. Epidemiology of the breast.

4. Methods to detect breast cancer.

5. Sources of information regarding breast cancer.

6. The influence of technical factors.

7. Positioning of the breast.

8. Film and image evaluation and critique.

9. Radiation biology and radiation protection.

10. Quality assurance methods.

11. The physics of mammography.

C. To satisfy the examination requirements of this section an applicant shall pass an examination in mammography administered by either the board or by the American registry of radiologic technologists. Examinations administered by the board shall use the same grading standards established by the American registry of radiologic technologists examination.

D. Except as provided in section 32-4301, a certificate issued under this section is valid for two years. If a certificate holder's last name begins with a letter that falls between A through M, the certificate expires on the certificate holder's birthday in every even-numbered year. All other certificates expire on the certificate holder's birthday in every odd-numbered year. The board shall notify a certificate holder thirty days before the expiration date of the certificate. An applicant for renewal of this certificate shall present evidence satisfactory to the board of having completed eight hours of continuing education in mammography within the preceding two years. If a radiologic technologist is certified by the American registry of radiologic technologists, that person must satisfy the continuing education requirements of this subsection by providing the board with evidence of the technologist's good standing and current certification with that registry. The applicant shall also pay a twenty dollar renewal fee to the board.

E. The board shall prorate fees for:

1. A certificate renewed before August 22, 2002.

2. A new certificate for the remaining full calendar months of the respective group to which the certificate is assigned.

F. The board shall issue a temporary certificate to a person who meets the requirements of subsection A, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this section if that person also provides the board with verification of employment and the name of the radiologist who agrees to be responsible for the applicant's supervision and training. A temporary certificate is valid for thirty days from the date it is issued and may be renewed one time for an additional six months. If the holder completes all of the requirements of subsection A of this section within that time, the board shall issue a regular certificate. This certificate is valid for two years from the date the board issued the temporary certificate and shall be renewed as prescribed under subsection D of this section.

G. A person or facility that employs a person certified under this section shall report any suspected violations of section 32-2821 to the board. The board shall investigate the complaint and act as prescribed under section 32-2821. If in the course of its investigation the board determines that a person regulated by another regulatory agency of this state may have violated that agency's laws, the board shall report the violation to the other agency for disciplinary action.