e. Common Information. Some information common to the projections is
presented at the beginning of the subcourse instead of being included in the position-
specific order of procedure charts. For example, guidelines pertaining to the removal of
patient's dress will be presented in Lesson 1. This common information should be kept
in mind as you proceed to read about each position. (See paragraphs 1-2 through 1-4
for common information.)
f. How to Use The Material Presented in this Text. Over 100 positions are
presented in this subcourse. Many of the specifications for different projections will
seem exceedingly similar to one another. To succeed, you need to zero in on the
critical distinguishing features of each position. Otherwise, the information can easily
become muddled in your mind. Accept the fact that you will not be able to memorize all
the facts about these positions. What you can do is learn the critical differences among
positions. Don't let yourself feel overwhelmed. Instead, take one position at a time.
(Forget about all the other positions as you concentrate on one position at a time.)
g. Study Strategies. Look over the graphics, noting general features of the
position and the anatomical structure. Next, go over the list of specifications carefully.
Approach it as you would a shopping list, ticking off the items in your mind as you
proceed down the list. If you have studied the material before, skip over what you
already know. After reading over the list a few times, cover the list, look at the
illustrations, and ask yourself questions like, "What is the part position for an AP foot?
h. Realistic Expectations. For the majority of students, this subcourse will
serve to sustain expertise gained in the resident course. It is presumed that you have
already had the actual hands-on practice positioning patients so critical to mastery of
positioning during the 91P10 resident course. A picture is worth a thousand words,
however, and that is why this manual contains over 150 graphics--to facilitate your
study. (But actual practice is, admittedly, even more invaluable.) This manual can
serve another purpose--as a useful job performance aid and reference once you are on
the job.
i. Limitations of Lesson Exercises. The lesson exercises cannot begin to
comprehensively cover the some 12 discrete facts outlined per position in each order of
procedure chart. (There are two to five positions covered per section.) You cannot
assume that you know all there is to know about the positions in a given section simply
by having done the section exercises correctly. You need to do additional review of the
section on your own before proceeding to the next section if you are serious about this
subcourse.
j. More Study Strategies. Now go back to the graphics and try to link up the
visual information in the drawings with the descriptive information in the order of
procedure chart. Begin by zeroing in on the three key elements of every position: (e)
the patient and part position and (f) the central ray (CR). Review these three key points
several times. Once these are fixed in your memory, the other details will fall into place
more easily.
MD0962
1-5