Nursing

Responsibilities:
Before

the

procedure

1.
Patient may
be asked
not to eat
or drink

anything
for
4 - 6
hours
before
the scan.
2. Asked patient if they are afraid of close spaces or
claustrophobia and inform the doctor. Patient may be given
a medicine to help them feel sleepy and less anxious.
3. Before the test, asked the patient if they have the following:
o Artificial heart valves
o Brain aneurysm clips
o Heart defibrillator or pacemaker
o Inner ear (cochlear) implants
o Kidney disease or dialysis
o Recently placed artificial joints
o Vascular stents
o Worked with sheet metal in the past
4. Asked patients to remove the following:
o Items such as jewelry, watches, credit cards, and hearing
aids - may be damaged.

o Pens, pocketknives, and eyeglasses - may fly across the

room.
o Pins, hairpins, metal zippers, and similar metallic items can distort the images.
o Removable dental work should be taken out just before
the scan.
5. Offer patient specialized headphones
During the procedure

Ask patient to remain still.

Give patient instructions through the microphone.

Monitor patient if needed.

Patients that require monitoring and support during MRI
procedures.

Physically or mentally unstable patients.

Patients with compromised physiologic functions.

Patients who are unable to communicate.

Neonatal and pediatric patients.

Sedated or anesthetized patients.

Patients undergoing MR-guided interventional procedures.

Patients who may have a reaction to an MRI contrast

agent.
Critically ill or high-risk patients.
After the procedure

Prior to allowing the patient to leave the MRI facility, the patient
should be alert, oriented, and have stable vital signs. A
responsible adult should accompany the patient home. Written
instructions that include an emergency telephone number should
be provided to the patient.
TYPES:
Traditional Closed MRI
Open MRI Scans

Standing or Sitting MRI