February 11, 2010

Renfrew Victoria Hospital CT tech is heading to the Olympics

When Vicki Hallas heads to the Olympic games in Vancouver, she’s almost guaranteed an opportunity to meet some of the athletes. Her prospects of actually seeing any of the sporting activities, however, are much more remote.

The CT technologist at Renfrew Victoria Hospital is one of 51 medical radiation technologists volunteering to put their skills to work for the Olympic athletes.

Hallas will be working eight-hour shifts for the two weeks she is there, with on-call service overnight. While she is hoping to squeeze in one or two days off and maybe even tickets for a competition, she is most excited about the professional and educational experiences she will encounter.

The medical team will be working in a state-of-the-art clinic at Whistler that includes x-ray and ultrasound, CT, MRI and a full operating theatre with portable fluoroscopy that can be used to help guide a surgeon who is repairing bone fractures or other musculoskeletal injuries.

Hallas could be at the helm of any of the diagnostic equipment. Her experience on the new CT scanner at RVH, as well as a background that includes trauma response at CHEO, will stand her in good stead. All of the Olympic equipment and software will be supplied by GE, the maker of RVH’s new 64-slice CT scanner.

Even before her bags were packed, the local technologist was finding opportunities to build her professional repertoire. As a medical volunteer, Hallas was required to participate in a three-hour interactive website seminar on the Olympics radiology information system. When she arrives in Vancouver, one of her first tasks will be to engage in on-site training on the equipment there and the workflow process.

One of the most exciting developments for this Olympic event is the introduction of “just in time” diagnostics, which means that an injured athlete will have access to ultrasound right at their sporting venue. If the image indicates it is OK, they will be given the green light to get directly back into the competition.

Hallas and her peers will be working with a team of 12 physicians who are specialists in musculoskeletal radiology.

“I’m really looking forward to spending time with them,” she enthuses, noting that she has been invited to attend educational sessions being run by GE for the doctors and athletes.

“I’ll be taking a memory stick along so that I can collect information and experiences and contacts to bring back here and share with the department,” she says.

Hallas’ professional enthusiasm undoubtedly played a big part in her selection to be on the Olympic medical team. The process began two or three years ago when she received an invitational e-mail as a member of the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists. The first test was a face-to-face interview with a panel of 15 questioners at Ottawa University. They asked about her interest in athletics and the Olympics, her professional history and experience, and they put her through some role-playing scenarios.

A while later, she was subjected to a surprise telephone interview – in French.

“Absolutely not,” she laughs when asked if she is comfortably bilingual.

Apparently, she speaks enough French to get through a basic test. It was shortly after that interview that Hallas was notified that her combined CT and x-ray experience made her a successful candidate, and a member of the 240,000 volunteer brigade supporting the Winter Games.

She will be traveling at her own expense, but the Olympic organization will provide Hallas’ accommodations for her two-week volunteer placement. She’ll be sharing her room and has been told to expect three people to a room with one sleeping on a couch.

“It’s not exactly glamorous,” she admits, “but it is a great opportunity!”

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(For more information contact Randy Penney, CEO,
Renfrew Victoria Hospital, 613-432-4851, ext. 260.)