On Feb. 23, 2018, the Oregon legislature denied an amendment to Senate Bill 1549-A, which would have allowed nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists and clinical nurse specialists to perform and supervise medical imaging procedures.

After receiving an outpouring of opposition from the Oregon Society of Radiologic Technologists and its members, the House Committee on Health Care determined it would not hear the amendment to HB 1549-A. Nearly 60 radiologic technologists sent statements to the committee in opposition to the measure.

The amendment was introduced just hours before the bill was to be discussed at a public hearing. The ASRT and OSRT worked together to alert legislators about the importance of having educated and qualified radiologic technologists perform and manage medical imaging procedures, a common-sense approach to ensuring patient safety. In addition, the ASRT and OSRT alerted technologists in the state and asked them to submit comments opposing the measure.
The ASRT and OSRT believe only registered radiologic technologists should perform procedures that use ionizing radiation. Advanced practice nurses do not have the education, experience or skills required to perform highly technical procedures like conventional radiography and fluoroscopy, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging or nuclear medicine.

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