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RTs are faced with ethical dilemmas every day. It comes with the territory. Sometimes it can be difficult to know what is right or to do the right thing. Even so, the best interests of patients should always be the ultimate principle guiding the conduct and professional practice of an R.T.
® That’s why, in 1993, the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists ® (ARRT ®) organization formalized their code of ethics for radiologic technologists into the ARRT ® Standards of Ethics. This document is comprised of the ARRT ® Code of Ethics and the ARRT ® Rules of Ethics, and outlines what it means for an R.T. ® to be
qualified to serve the public. Let’s get started! Table of Contents The ARRT ® organization recommends that R.T.s ® review the ARRT ® Standards of Ethics (code and rules of ethics) each year—to refresh your memory, renew your commitment, keep abreast of possible changes, and ensure that you are in compliance. In doing so, you’ll need to read both parts of the ARRT ® Standards of Ethics: The ARRT ® Code of Ethics and the ARRT ® Rules of Ethics. We’ll discuss each of these in turn below. But here’s the gist: Essentially, the ARRT ® Code of Ethics describes a vision for the ideal professional conduct of R.T.s ®, while the ARRT ® Rules of Ethics lays out the bare minimum for professional ethical conduct. The ARRT ® Code of Ethics is the first part of the ARRT ® Standards of Ethics. It lists 11 principles by which ARRT ® certified R.T.s ® can measure their professional behavior with patients and colleagues and others with whom they interact in their role as a radiologic technologist. The ARRT ® organization describes the document as “aspirational,” meaning that R.T.s ® should always strive to achieve the principles outlined in it, but that these are not enforceable standards (enforceable standards are laid out in the ARRT ® Rules of Ethics). For example, the fifth principle of the ARRT ® Code of Ethics states:
Check out the full ARRT ® Code of Ethics document to review all 11 principles. It won’t take you more than a minute or two, and it’s a pretty professionally uplifting and rejuvenating read for radiologic technologists, to boot. The ARRT ® Rules of EthicsThe ARRT ® Rules of Ethics is the second part of the ARRT ® Standards of Ethics. This is where you’ll find the nitty gritty details of the minimum requirements of professional conduct for an individual who holds ARRT ® certification or intends to apply for it. The rules laid out in this document are enforceable by the ARRT ® organization, meaning that you MUST abide by the rules of ethics if you want to get or keep your certification. In other words, ethical professional behavior is an ARRT ® requirement, and your certification hinges upon your conduct as much as on your technical knowledge and skill. Violations of ARRT ® Standards of EthicsThe categories of behaviors and examples of those behaviors listed below constitute ARRT ® ethics violations. The examples offered are just that: examples. They are not to be taken as an exhaustive list of violations.
You should refer to the ARRT ® Rules of Ethics for the complete list of conduct and activities identified as ethical violations, though take careful note that the list it provides is not exhaustive either (it specifies that the activities listed as violations “include, but are not limited to” those listed in the document). And remember, these Rules apply to you whether you’re applying to be or are already a certificate holder. We’ll talk more below about how to meet the ARRT ® ethics requirement whatever your status: soon-to-be graduate, applicant, or certificate holder. How do I report an ethics violation to the ARRT ® organization? And when?The process for reporting an ethics violation to the ARRT ® organization varies slightly depending on your circumstances. Below we describe how to report a potential ethical violation depending on your certification status. The process for reporting an ethics violation to the ARRT ® organization varies slightly depending on your circumstances. Below we describe how to report a potential ethical violation depending on your certification status. How do I report someone else for an ethical violation?If you witness an R.T. ® committing an actual or potential violation of the ARRT ® Standards of Ethics, it is your duty to report the violation. Remember, your ultimate responsibility is to ensure the safety and protection of current and future patients. To report someone else, use the Ethics Violation Report Form. Complete the form and submit it to the ARRT ® organization via one of the following methods: Mail: Fax: Email: How do I self-report an ethics violation to the ARRT ® organization?Registered R.T.s ® The ARRT ® Rules of Ethics states that registered R.T.s ® must report an ethics violation within 30 days of the incident using the Ethics Violation Report Form, or report it at the time of annual renewal, whichever is closer. When reporting a potential or actual violation, you’ll be required to submit a personal narrative about what happened and supporting documentation. The documents you’ll be required to submit depend on the type of violation you are reporting. The ARRT ® organization provides the following checklists to be used as guides in determining what documentation you’ll need to include. If you are reporting a violation via the Ethics Violation Report Form, you’ll complete the form, attach the required documentation as per the relevant checklist, and send it to the ARRT ® organization by one of the following methods: Mail: Fax: Email: Registered R.T.s ® Applying For a New CredentialIf you’re applying for another credential, you need to report a known or potential violation when you submit your application or within 30 days of the incident, whatever comes first. To report before you submit your application, use the Ethics Violation Report Form mentioned above and follow the same procedures. Students with More Than 8 Months Until Graduation If you’re a student in a radiologic technology program with more than eight months left until graduation and you think you may have potential ethical violations you need to disclose, you’ll submit an ethics review preapplication form. We’ll discuss the Ethics Review Pre-application Process in more depth below. Recent Graduates or Students with Less than 8 Months Until GraduationIf you recently graduated or you are a student in a radiologic technology program with less than 8 months until you graduate, you cannot submit an Ethics Review Pre-application. Instead, you’ll answer the ethics questions on the normal application for certification and registration and provide any supporting documentation required using the appropriate checklist as a guide: What is sorts of violations don’t need to be reported?
What if I don’t report an ethics violation to the ARRT ® organization?This is actually an ethics violation in and of itself. Recall that one of the categories of behaviors in the ARRT ® Rules of Ethics (that’s the enforceable standards) is Duty to Report. The consequences for knowingly failing to report a violation are, according the the ARRT ® organization, often worse than the consequences for the violation itself. You may even have a sanction imposed on your credentials. Remember that failing to report a potential or actual ethics violation you yourself or another R.T. ® has committed puts current and future patients at risk. Reporting is always the right decision. What happens if someone reports me for violating the ARRT ® Standards of Ethics?If you have been reported to the ARRT ® organization as being in violation of the ARRT ® Standards of Ethics, the ARRT ® Ethics Committee begins the Ethics Violation Review Process. Note that the process is the same if you self-reported a potential violation. ARRT ® Ethics Violation Review ProcessThe Ethics Committee will review the report, gather information, and make a determination about whether or not the a violation has been committed, if further investigation is required or not, or if the case is frivolous and should be summarily dismissed. The process for reviewing ethics violations does not have a specified timeframe. How long it takes depends on the complexity or the case, among other factors. In most cases, you remain certified and registered and are able to practice during the review process, and even if you don’t renew your certification or registration, the ethics review process will continue regardless. If the Ethics Committee decides that further investigation is needed, they may send you a request for more information. You can choose to communicate with the ARRT ® organization at this point through your legal counsel, if you want to. Just fill out and send the Authorization, Waiver, and Release form to the ARRT ® organization. Once the committee has completed their review and investigation, and if you are found to have committed an ethical violation, the committee will decide if a sanction if appropriate, and if so, what sort of sanction. You’ll be notified of the Ethics Committee’s decision by mail. What can I do if I am found to have committed an ethics violation?If you disagree with the findings and decision of the Ethics Committee, you have a few options:
ARRT ® Ethics Committee DecisionsThe Ethics Committee may make any of a number of decisions if they have determined that you have committed an ethics violation. As per the ARRT ® Standards of Ethics, these decisions include:
ARRT ® Ethics Review Pre-Application ProcessAs mentioned above, if you’re a student with more than 8 months remaining until graduation, and you think you may have an ethics violation you need to disclose, you should submit an Ethics Review Pre-application to the ARRT® organization before attempting to apply for certification and registration. Here are the major steps: Fill out the Ethics Review Pre-application Form
The form provides clear guidance for which circumstances you should answer Yes or No. You will also be required to agree to Written Consent under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), permitting the ARRT ® organization to contact the director of your academic program and access parts of your education records (this is to check if you have ever been suspended or expelled). Gather Supporting Documentation If you answer “Yes” to any of the questions on the pre-application form, you’ll need to provide supporting documentation. Use the appropriate checklist to see what documents are required for which violations:
Sign Agreement and Have It Notarized At the end of the pre-application form is an agreement you need to read, sign, and get notarized by a notary public. Photos and Fees You’ll also need to include a passport photo and a nonrefundable $100 fee (personal check or money orders are accepted) with your pre-application form and supporting documents. Submit Gather everything listed above and mail the whole lot off to the following address: ARRT What kinds of violations should I report on the Ethics Review Pre-application?When using the Ethics Review Pre-application process you should report the following:
The review process can take awhile, a few months or more, depending on the complexity of the violations you’re reporting. Be patient. The ARRT ® Ethics Review Committee will follow the procedures outlined in the Ethics Review Process described above and notify you of a decision by mail. The Ethics Requirement As Part of ARRT ® Annual RenewalFor your annual ARRT ® renewal, you are required to answer two ethics questions during online renewal in order to demonstrate that you are still adhering to the ARRT ® Standards of Ethics:
If you answer Yes to any of these questions, you must report the violation along with supporting documents. Use the following checklists as guides to determine what sort of supporting documentation you are required to provide: Once you have submitted your renewal and supporting documentation, the ARRT ® Ethics Committee with begin the review process described above. You will be notified of a decision by mail. Wrapping Up!We hope this guide has given you a better understanding of the ARRT ® Standards of Ethics, including the ARRT ® Code of Ethics and the ARRT ® Rules of Ethics, and what to do if you or another R.T. ® has committed a potential ethics violation. If you need further guidance, be sure to contact the ARRT ® organization for support and instructions. And always remember that patients and other healthcare professionals rely on you heavily: you have a duty to keep yourself current on ethics in the field and to report violations in order to safeguard your patients’ safety and health above all else. Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is intended to provide useful information to radiologic technologists. This information should not replace information provided by state, federal, or professional regulatory and authoritative bodies in the radiological technology industry. While Medical Professionals strives to always provide up-to-date and accurate information, laws, regulations, statutes, rules, and requirements may vary from one state to another and may change. Use of this information is entirely voluntary, and users should always refer to official regulatory bodies before acting on information. Users assume the entire risk as to the results of using the information provided, and in no event shall Medical Professionals be held liable for any direct, consequential, incidental or indirect damages suffered in the course of using the information provided. Medical Professionals hereby disclaims any responsibility for the consequences of any action(s) taken by any user as a result of using the information provided. Users hereby agree not to take action against, or seek to hold, or hold liable, Medical Professionals for the user’s use of the information provided. |
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