Radiology

Exam items hand you a pre- or post-imaging scenario and ask the priority nursing action. The classic “tell” is a modality keyword: with MRI, the answer hinges on removing all metal and screening for pacemakers, cochlear implants, aneurysm clips, and retained metallic fragments (shrapnel), plus asking about claustrophobia (many newer devices are now MR-conditional, so verify the exact model). With gadolinium contrast, the trap is renal function, since NSF (nephrogenic systemic fibrosis) is the feared complication in severe CKD. After iodinated CT contrast, watch for delayed allergic reactions and support hydration in at-risk kidneys. A frequent stem flags shellfish allergy—current teaching is that it does not predict contrast reaction (though some older question banks still link them).

Don’t confuse radiology with its siblings: laboratory analyzes fluids and needs no radiation prep, while biopsy and endoscopy are invasive—both demand informed consent and coagulation checks, which non-invasive imaging usually does not. The mistake students make is treating every “scan” alike; only ionizing studies (X-ray, CT, nuclear medicine) trigger pregnancy screening, not MRI or ultrasound. Hook: “Metal stays out of the MRI magnet.”