1. By Danielle Benson, Micah Lundberg, and Bryan Bussard
Clearances/ Trials
By Danielle Benson, Micah Lundberg, and Bryan Bussard

2. What are trials and clearances?
They are exams on real patients at your clinical site that you do on your own
For example, for upper limbs you will need,
Finger
Hand
Wrist
Forearm
Elbow
Humerus
You need to do a trial on each one, as practice, Then you will need to put in for a clearance . The clearance is the real deal that is graded and is a part of your clinical grade. (you need a trial for ever clearance you put in for)
** You are allowed to practice as much as you want before you do a trial

3. Trials A trial is a practice clearance You are not graded on this
You do the entire exam from start to finish on your own
After, the tech gives you pointers on what you could have improved on
Then you are ready to put in for your clearance!
**Keep track of the MRN number, you will need it when you go to put in for your clearance

4. How to put in for a clearance
Go to:
Log in using the username and password that is provided for you
/ Clearances2015
Click on your class
Find your name, click on it
Find the exam you want to put in for
Put the trial number and date in appropriate box
You’re good to go!

5. Where to go
When you’re logged in, you see this page. Click on your spreadsheet to get into your clearances list.

6. What to put in
Clearance name
MRN
Date submitted
Put in your MRN number, as well as the date you submitted it under your spreadsheet on OneDrive. Instructors will take care of the rest as you clear on exams.

7. Introduction – What is a clearance?
Just like a trial but this one is graded
If you put in for a wrist, you do THE VERY FIRST wrist that comes in that day, no more practicing.
They are done at clinical on a real patient. You do the entire exam from start to finish as a clinical instructor observes and grades you.
Think of it like a pop quiz that you know can happen at ANY moment during a clinical day. You need to be prepared for when a clearance you’re up for walks through the door.
You need 54 clearances, plus 10 pop clearances, over the first 6 quarters of the program.
*** Its always good to go over the required amount for the quarter because you might get stuck in a rotation where you don’t get any

8. Why clearances are important
Clearances are proof that you can do what you say you can do.
They hold you accountable for pushing yourself to learn new things in the clinical setting.
It is required by accreditation to keep track of exams you are competent on.

9. You’ve submitted a clearance, now what?
You wait until it comes in! At your clinical site, write your clearance up on the white board. While you’re at it, go to the ER (or any other non-core X-ray rooms) and write on a sticky what you’re up for. Tell your classmates that you put in for the clearance, too. Once you’ve put in for the clearance, you have to do the first one of that type that walks through the door, no practicing after you’ve submitted a clearance.

10. preparations
Now, you may get your clearance the morning right after you submitted it, or it could take weeks (or months, looking at you, AC joints).
Here are some things you can do to keep fresh and prepared for when it does happen:
Before each day in clinical, take a look at how the exam is done. Memorize the protocol techniques for the projections. Be sure you know everything for all the clearances that you’re up for – it isn’t uncommon to get 5+ in one day.
Be sure you are familiar with the rooms and their equipment. Nothing ends a clearance faster than not knowing how to get the tube into detent.
Often school techniques will be much different than the techniques used at clinical sites, or even specific rooms. Let the tech know what technique you would use, and usually they will adjust so that the room technique is used. The priority is capturing quality images for the radiologist, after all.

11. OMG I’M IN FOR THAT EXAM, NOW WHAT!?
First, breathe. Second, grab a clearance form, and fill out the top portion for your tech. Write down the MRN number for the exam on the clearance sheet. Double check that you copied it down correctly. This may seen obvious, but let the tech know that you would like to clear on the exam. Sometimes that can get lost in the chaos. Now, get to the exam!

12. Afterwards
When the exam is finished and the patient has left, talk to the tech that was with you during your clearance. They have to grade it, and initial it.
After that is completed, your clearance is done, now it must be turned into an instructor for further grading. They will review your images on Stentor, and do the final grading. If you don’t have a clinical instructor at your location, hold onto your form and turn it in at school.
Be sure to write down the MRN number and date you completed the clearance in the front of the blue book. That is YOUR record of what clearances you have completed, so it’s very handy to be able to see at a glance what you need, and what you don’t.

13. Possible Outcomes
You pass! – Great job! Don’t slow down though, keep working on your skills and get more trials and clearances done! There is always more to do! Passing requires an 84/100. OR You fail! – Bummer. It happens. You’ll still turn in your clearance sheet, and you’re going to have to do it again. Don’t be discouraged, it happens!

14. Something to keep in mind…
You’re going to get clearances more often at some clinical sites than others. Talk with your classmates to find out how frequent clearances are coming up! You don’t want to be caught near the end of the quarter with clearances left to do, only to be at a facility that doesn’t do the exams you need to clear on!