title: Clinical competence in myocardial perfusion scintigraphic stress testing: general training guidelines and assessment.
abstract: The suggestion by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to more than triple the number of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) procedures carried out by the NHS each year is a challenge both in terms of numbers of gamma cameras available to carry out the scans and qualified staff to supervise stress tests. In the past, exercise and pharmacological stress testing have been supervised only by doctors but, increasingly, this is taken on by suitably trained non-medical professionals such as nurses, radiographers and clinical technologists. The expansion of the numbers of non-medical professionals qualified to supervise stress testing will be key to meeting NICE's recommendations. This paper sets out how potential new stressors should be identified, what their training should cover and discusses the standards of competence they should meet. It provides guidelines for training non-medical stressors to perform a safe and efficient stress test during MPS and advice for maintaining competency.
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Medicine Department, Derby Hospitals NHS Trust, Uttoxeter Road, Derby, UK. Ian.Jones@derbyhospitals.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Latus
authors.forename: Luan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bartle
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parkin
mesh_terms: D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000592:standards*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000592:standards*; D009683:Nuclear Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D010477:Perfusion / Q000592:standards; D011361:Professional Competence; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000592:standards*; D006113:United Kingdom