Have you ever thought about being an X-Ray technician? As far as health care jobs go, these professionals have one of the more stable 8 to 5 jobs, especially if they work in a clinic.X-Ray technicians are responsible for taking x-ray images of different body parts to help doctors make a diagnosis. It may sound easy, but doctors often make special requests to the technicians, about the clarity of the images, the angle from which to take the image, and depending on density of the body part to be photographed, special adjustments must be made to the machines. X-Ray technicians are also responsible for the patient’s safety during the x-ray exposure. The technician usually explains the procedure, protects the patient with any necessary protective gear, and makes sure the patient has removed all damaging materials, such as jewelry. While they take the images, and may be pretty sure of what they see in the images, x-ray technicians are normally not allowed to make a diagnosis on their own, rather they transfer the images to the doctor to study and talk about with the patient. After taking x-ray images, they are in some case responsible for processing the images, sending them to the correct doctor, and keeping patient records. They may also be expected to perform routine maintenance on the machines they work with.

X-ray technicians can work in hospitals, clinics or some laboratories, but usually do not have late or rotating shifts as hectic as those of doctors, or other healthcare technicians.

Reasons to consider being an X-Ray Technician:

If you’re considering this profession, here are some more benefits for which to consider going into this career. These benefits are realistic, so that you can make sure you aren’t going into the profession with false ideals.

X-Ray technicians must be good at taking directions from doctors about the images they want to see, they should also be good listeners so that they can make sure not to hurt the patients. Having patience with patients who may be in pain is also going to benefit you if you are an X-Ray technician to allow you to calm the patients down so they don’t move while you are taking the x-ray images.

X-Ray technicians also have a good outlook in terms of job stability. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is one of the fastest growing fields. The growth is expected to be 17 percent between 2008 and 2018. One of the biggest reasons is that this is one job that can’t be outsourced, and still requires human contact to calm and protect the patient.

In Florida, X-Ray technicians make an average of $52,210 per year, but can make more than $74,000 in some cases. Punta Gorda, in Florida, is one of the metro areas, nationwide that employs a large amount of X-Ray technicians and one of the places with higher than average salaries.

In comparison to the rewards and benefits of being an X-Ray technician, the education required is not a lot. When looking for a job as an X-Ray technician, many employers will require drug screening, and certification in CPR, or a Basic Life Support card. The American Heart Association provides this certification to healthcare professionals, to teach them to recognize a health emergency and the proper way to respond to it. The course teaches CPR and the use of automatic external defibrillators.

Advancement is also possible from being an X-Ray technician to become an X-Ray technologist. Technologists as opposed to technicians perform a larger scope of more complicated imaging tests such as mammography tests or magnetic resonance imaging, or they can specialize in just one of those. Advancing to a technologist can be achieved with more education, certifications, or by taking on more responsibilities at your workplace depending on the employer policy.

View a list of Florida schools offering x-ray technician programs.