Starla Mason

    LCCC welcomes Victor White as the new Radiography Clinical Coordinator/Instructor. Victor will take over Linda Holden's position for the academic year, allowing Linda to move over full-time as the Ultrasound Coordinator (she will still serve as the Clinical Coordinator during the summer semesters.) Victor comes to us from Carbondale, IL and has both clinical and didactic experience, with practical experience in radiography, management, DXA, and is MRI-certified. He is very enthusiastic about radiography, and has several recruiting ideas already. LCCC will be his first full-time radiography instructional position, so he is anxious to get started this fall.

       Although we haven’t been able to confirm it with her, we understand that Kristy Nystrom was named by Governor Jim Geringer as the new RT Member of the Wyoming Board of Radiologic Technologist Examiners. Congratulations! Also, a very heart felt thank you to Shelly Breazeale as she retires from the same board.

Relay for Life
(Click here for pictures)

       A big THANKS to all the dedicated members, family members and friends of the WSRT who participated in this year's Relay For Life. Each participant braved the heat and lack of sleep to walk the 24 hour relay which took place at Okie Blanchard Stadium on June 15th and 16th. As a team, we raised just over $1,300.00, and also walked away with the first place trophy for the "Best Costume".
       We are looking forward to next year's relay, and would welcome any new additions to our team. As anyone who participated in this years relay can attest, it's a very heart-warming event that is very worthwhile for a great cause.
       The team members this year were, Shelly Breazealle, Kelly Hartigan, Linda Holden, Gemini Janas, Glenn Janezich, Susan Lewis, Kim McMillian, Paige Fisher, Tammy Stephens and Becky Schluck. If you are interesed in participated next year, please contact Kelly Hartigan at hartigankel@yahoo.com

       Plans are being finalized for the WSRT Annual Conference to be held September 20 - 23 at the Holiday Inn in Cheyenne. Lesli Troastle, Conference Chairperson, says that we will be visited by Allen Terrell, President of the ASRT, as well as Rosanne Paschal of the ARRT and will hear sessions from both. Also coming to Cheyenne this year are some past favorites - Jack Barr, President of the Colorado Society of Radiologic Technologists, Danny Gonzales from the New Mexico Affiliate Society and Liana Watson, Past Speaker of the House of the ASRT. Also coming this year are Betty Schans from Mesa State College, Cheryl Hays from Colorado State University School of Vaterinary Medicine and Dan Gilbert from Scottsbluff, NE. We’re so lucky to have all of these people coming to Wyoming to see us this year! Local speakers include Linda Holden, Dr. Ariz from F.E. Warren AFB and Dr. Beer who will talk about c-spine trauma. This is promising to be one of the best conferences yet!
       Thursday, September 23 will start the conference off with the management seminar from 1:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M. Registration opens at 11:00 a.m. Don’t forget the WSRT Pre-conference Board Meeting from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. All members are welcome to attend.
       On Friday, registration opens at 7:00 a.m. Coffee and rolls are offered until 8:15. Highlights include the general session featuring Rosanne Paschal from 8:30 - 9:50, followed by the student presentations at 10:00. Following more educational sessions, the first session of the WSRT Annual Business meeting will convene at 11:30. All WSRT members should attend this session and lunch will be provided for you. Following the meeting, more educational sessions will be offered until 6:00 p.m. We’ll leave you to eat dinner but invite you back at 8:00 p.m. to dance and have fun to the music of Fatt Cat Freddie until 11:00.
       On Saturday, again we’ll be taking registrations starting at 7:00 with coffee and rolls until 8:15. At 8:15, our keynote speaker will be Allen Terrell, President of the ASRT. More educational sessions will follow until 11:30 when we will conduct the second session of the business meeting. Again, all members including students should attend this session and lunch will be provided. More educational sessions will follow in the afternoon and the student bowl will start about 4:00 p.m. We’ll have a bit of a break then Happy Hour will start at 6:00, followed by the WSRT Annual Banquet, Awards Presentations and Installation of Officers.
       The Post Conference Board Meeting will be held Sunday morning at 8:00.

-Mike Lewis

       There is so much new news to tell all of you concerning the WSRT web site! I have been busy the last few months remodeling the site and bringing in new features that I hope you will find informative, interactive and fun.
       First, the site is now being updated every few days or so. I am trying to include as much news that I can find of interest to you as possible and include press releases that I receive from the ASRT through e-mail, hopefully to ensure that you receive it as quickly as possible. As wonderful as our Cowboy Cathode is, I’m not sure that a quarterly writing is quick enough at times for this information era of the new millennium. Check the site often for new stuff.
       Second, I have now programmed in a real time clock to our site’s main page that’s accuracy comes directly from the US Naval Observatory, the official timekeepers for the United States. If you click on the link to “Clocks”, you will be taken to another clock with even more information and from there, you can click to view a version of the Coordinated Universal Time clock. Something fun and you can check your own computer’s clock against it.
       Third, I have started a new on-line scrapbook for the WSRT. This is relatively new and I only have a few pictures from the ASRT Conference as well as the Relay for Life, but I am hoping to have this grow over the years so we may be able to look back on the fond memories of conferences and other activities of RT’s in Wyoming.
       Next, and I am really excited about this, I have started an interactive message board for us. This is a place that you can write messages to each other, the WSRT board and hopefully your clinical sites and hospitals will feel welcome to post want ads or any other information that they wish to. This forum belongs to you and you are always welcome to use it in any way you wish to. I only ask that we refrain from obscenities, we respect other people’s privacy (no talking about patients, doctors, nurses, etc. by name) and that you try to respect each other. Forums can be fun and wonderful places to interact with, but they can become volatile at times. If this becomes a success, we will be instituting a better forum software program that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.
       Next, I have started a funny page of sorts. I will try to place new jokes, or maybe some old ones from time to time that tickle your funny bone. Heard a good one? E-mail it to me and I’ll post it for you, but try to keep it at least PG….., maybe a soft R from time to time.
       The WSRT Bylaws and the Policies & Procedures manual are on-line as well. At this time, the proposed versions for next year are actually there and following the conference and, hopefully, approval, they will become a permanent part of the site. You can also find our Articles of Incorporation there as well.
       As always, the Cowboy Cathode and all versions prior to this one after the site was created can be found at the site. It’s kind of fun to look back on those older newsletters and see what was happening a few years ago.
       Look for new and updated information concerning the WSRT Conferences on our site also. Links for this year’s conference in Cheyenne, as well as next year’s conference in Jackson are up and available for you to view. You can also find updated information from the Wyoming Board of Radiologic Technologist Examiners from time to time when they notify me. As always, you can fill out a membership application on-line, as well as change your information and check on your membership status.
       In closing, I want to welcome any and all of you to the site and be sure to stay long enough to drop a note to us. As a final thought, please know if you don’t already that there are a lot of computer viruses and worms floating around out there right now. Please be sure to use an antivirus program and use a firewall for extra protection. Never open e-mail that you’re unsure of and if you inadvertently become a victim that unwittingly spreads one of these critters to others, notify them what happened so they can protect themselves as well. Take care all and see ya on the ‘Net!

       The American Society of Radiologic Technologists met June 2 - 6, 2001 in Orlando, Florida for their 73rd Annual Conference and the 16^th Meeting of the House of Delegates. Those attending the conference from Wyoming included Kaylea Massengill as mammography delegate (region 3), Kelly Hartigan as ultrasound delegate (region 3), Mike Lewis as radiography delegate (region 3), and Starla Mason and Peggy Jereb as Wyoming Affiliate delegates. Linda Holden was also there as well as Laurie Weaver who was seen from time to time.
       On Sunday, June 3, Mr. Lynn May, CEO of the ASRT, presented the ASRT Annual Report and Dr. Michael Ward presented the ASRT Education and Research Foundation Report. Several new scholarships and/or grants are now available through the Education and Research Foundation and those seeking further education in their career should contact the ASRT for details.
       In the news - there are now 90,167 members of the ASRT, which shows that the ASRT continues to grow steadily. Many thanks to the ASRT staff who continue to work hard to streamline operations in the home office while offering members more bang for their buck year by year. For example, look for exciting and informative changes with the ASRT web site in the near future.
       On the less positive side, we’ve learned that those seeking registration in the radiologic sciences continues to decline on a steady trend since 1994 when over 10,000 people sought certification then, to less than 7500 this past year. To bolster the concern, we know that over 50% of those working in the radiologic sciences are over 40 years of age, demonstrating that we are not currently attracting a steady stream of younger individuals interested in this profession. We believe this involves three primary areas of concern - chance for advancement, the employment setting including salaries, and increasing educational levels.
       In answer to this, the ASRT has compiled a new recruitment video that will be available shortly to be shown in high schools and perhaps junior high schools as well. As nationwide shortages continue to grow, hospitals and clinical sites in demand of professional radiographers will undoubtedly need increase their salary base to attract not only qualified present day radiographers, but to help attract college bound students to the field as well. In the meantime, we will continue to experience some tough shortages in the very near future.
       In addition to salary considerations, it’s becoming increasingly important to ensure a quality and enjoyable working environment for the radiographer. With the beginning of this new millennium, employers should concentrate on increasing efforts to ensure each technologist’s individual happiness in working at their job. This includes efforts on increasing morale, a sense of team spirit and focusing on an individual’s needs such as scheduling concerns and specific feedback on performance, primarily focusing on the positive rather than the negative. In other words, managers need to center their sights on more positive guidance with respect to their employees’ needs and concerns.
       With respect to educational avenues, we see two areas of concern. First, many consider radiography as an “entry-level” position in and of itself, i.e. a stepping-stone to other disciplines within the imaging sciences such as CT, MRI, Ultrasound, Radiation Therapy, Mammography and most recently, Special Procedures and Interventional Radiography. Second, more imaging professionals are moving from the “entry-level” Associates Degree and hospital based certification programs to Bachelor’s Degrees and higher. As these people increase their education, many find that their abilities are in higher demand in other places and eventually move where, frankly, they can make more money.
       We need to introduce and reinforce that diagnostic radiography should not be considered simply “entry-level” and that it is and continues to be the backbone in the radiologic sciences. Those deciding to stay in this area should be encouraged to do so and rewarded as much as those electing to move into other areas. Let me know your ideas for improving our image and status within our profession!
       The ASRT Committee on Governance Restructuring has come up with a new plan for the House of Delegates in the future. Basically, the Affiliate Delegates would be cut from two delegates from each affiliate society to one. Chapter Delegates would be taken from delegates per region to two. The regional delegates would be selected by national ballot.
       This idea is very much in its infancy and many questions remain to be answered on how this will work. The Committee is seeking feedback from ASRT members concerning this issue. However, be aware that at the present, most delegates at the conference are appointed on site and of those actually elected, very few ASRT members actually bothered to participate and actually vote for their representation. Currently, there are fourteen chapters with nine members per chapter (126 Chapter Delegates) plus 108 Affiliate Delegates for a potential of 234 members of the House of Delegates. Under the new system, there would be 54 Affiliate Delegates and 28 Chapter Delegates for a total of 82 members of the House of Delegates. This would be more cost effective, so much so that each delegate might be able to have his or her way to the conference paid by the ASRT.
       As your radiography delegate, I wonder if a good twist on this idea is not so much a restriction on the number of delegates at the conference, but restrict the number of votes. In other words, each affiliate could send any number of people to the conference they wish to (typically two), but the affiliate would be restricted to only one vote. Only one person from the affiliate could actually sit to represent that vote in the House. As far as the chapter delegates, I wonder if we could still allow each chapter to maintain their nine members, however each chapter would have to elect two representatives at the conference to represent their two votes in the House. This should be easy to do in the Chapter meetings.
       Overall, we would still be able to shave the House to 82 votes, yet be able to maintain full input and representation, at least for those regions interested in doing so. I need your feedback on this as I have been appointed to the Committee on Chapters for the coming year. Please talk to your colleagues as soon as possible and let me know your thoughts and ideas. There is no better time or place to voice your opinions than RIGHT NOW.
       On Wednesday, June 6, 2001, the second phase of the House of Delegates was convened.
By-laws
       Most of the by-laws changes concerned bolstering the requirements to hold office or be a board member in the ASRT. Honestly, much of it was confusing and I encourage each of you to check on-line at http://www.asrt.org for the final version. However, I will try to outline some of the biggest changes, as I understand them.
      1. Student members may now share in the obligations and privileges of active members of the ASRT. Basically, this now gives them the right to vote.
        2. By-laws changes requiring Officers of the ASRT to attend the ASRT Leadership Academy were generally voted down. However, it’s my understanding that officers and board members will be allowed to attend the academy after election, if they haven’t attended previously.
        As I said, as of this writing I am still not completely clear on the exact changes that were made, but I encourage you to contact me with any questions you may have and I will be glad to help by finding the answers for you.
Resolutions (Passed)
       01-1.01 - Students will be considered for committee and task force appointments.
     01-1.02 - Students membership fees have been reduced to $30/year or $50/biannually.
    01-3.01 - Radiologic Technologists Performing Diagnostic Sonography - Diagnostic Sonography is a scope of practice for the radiologic technologist. Diagnostic Sonographer describes the radiologic technologist credentialed in sonography.
     01-3.02 - Only radiologic science professionals credentialed in ultrasonography by the ARDMS or the ARRT in sonography or equivalent should perform all diagnostic and interventional medical sonography procedures.
       01-3.03 - The ASRT recognizes that the deployment of closure devices for intravascular access sites during cardiovascular interventional procedures is within the scope of practice for radiologic technologists with appropriate clinical and didactic education where state statutes and/or institutional policy permit.
      01-3.04 - The ASRT supports that remote afterloading equipment, both high dose rate and low dose rate, used in brachytherapy applications to treat human malignancies and benign conditions should be operated by registered radiation therapists, certified medical dosimetrists, board certified medical radiation physicists and/or board certified radiation oncologists as a team of radiation oncology professionals with appropriate clinical and didactic education where state statutes and/or institutional policy permit.
       01-3.05 - The ASRT supports the position of wearing the primary personal monitoring device outside of the apron at the level of the thyroid to approximate the maximum dose to the head and neck. In the case of a declared pregnant employee/student, a second monitoring device should be worn at or about the level of the waist under a lead apron if appropriate. Each radiologic technologist and radiation therapist throughout the department should maintain consistency of location in wearing of the personal monitoring device. (There are additional sources of information listed in this resolution that may be found at the ASRT web site, or I will provide them upon request.)
       In other issues, it was asked that the ASRT develop a student web page. However, an educational web page is already being developed by the staff of the ASRT and should be located ay http://www.rteducation.org in the future.
       Scott Tulane was elected as the new ASRT Speaker of the House of Delegates, and Richard Fucillo was elected as Vice-Speaker. Next year’s meeting is in Birmingham, Alabama from June 8 - 12, 2002. I encourage each of you as affiliates to consider and nominate people for chapter delegates for this conference. I will be attending the next conference as my last year as your radiography delegate. Since this is also my second term as radiography delegate for region 3, I am ineligible to run for a third term unless there are no other nominees. I intend to serve again if this situation should arise, but encourage anyone else who wishes to run to do so.
       In conclusion, I fully encourage each of you to contact me at any time with questions or concerns. I am one of several voices for you at the House of Delegates for the ASRT, so please, use me as such.