Page 324 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

308 Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant

Checking for Light Leaks headache, so protecting yourself is very important. Film
processor rollers are what pulls the radiography film
Door seals tend to wear out or get torn loose just from through the processor. These should be wiped off daily
daily wear and tear. To check the darkroom for leaks, to weekly depending on the number of radiographs
close the door, turn off the light, and note the presence taken at the clinic. The least often the more they need to
of any daylight that might be entering around the door be cleaned as the chemicals tend to dry on the rollers
or pass‐through box. If there is any light from cracks causing artifacts on the finished film.
around the door or any other source, notify the office Professional processor maintenance is important to
manager. maintain the life of a processor. Read the manufacturer’s
Check the safety light as this can deteriorate as the recommendations and discuss this with the office
bulb is worn. Close the door, turn off the overhead light, manager to set up the service.
and turn the safety light on. Place an unexposed film on Floors and counters can become wet. All spills or wet
the counter with a metal object such as a paper clip on areas need to be cleaned up and dried immediately. Wet
the film. Let it set for 2 minutes then develop the film. spots will make artifacts on the film. Keep paper towels
If the object appears on the film, the safety light is not stocked in the room for wiping up spills and cleaning the
working properly or there is some other source of light counter. Mop the floor whenever it becomes wet or at
in the room. least weekly. Keep a box of examination gloves, an apron,
Check to see if the flasher blocker is working prop- and goggles in the room to be used whenever working
erly. If the light doesn’t work, it can be as simple as with chemicals. Maintain an adequate supply of materials
changing the bulb. Make sure to get the proper watt- and chemicals in inventory. Note the quantity of each
age bulb, as too bright will cause an artifact on the film whenever using these items. Add needed items to the
and too dim will not show the label very well. Always want list or notify the inventory manager as supplies
follow the manufacturer’s directions for product become low. Allow for sufficient time for ordering and
maintenance. delivery.
Ideally, there are two areas to a darkroom: a wet side The veterinary assistant can develop daily, weekly, and
and a dry side. The processor side is considered the wet monthly maintenance charts for the darkroom and mate-
side and the countertops as the dry side. There needs to rials stored in it. Compose a chart of rows and columns to
be sufficient dry counter space for working with cassettes meet the needs and policies of your practice.
and film boxes. If a flasher block is used for film Maintenance tasks include the following.
identification, make sure there is enough room to 1. Counters should be wiped down daily with dilute
accommodate the film in the flasher without having to disinfectant. Paper towels are restocked, and the
bend the film. Even a slight bend in an unprocessed film disinfectant is replenished as needed.
can cause an artifact. The cassettes should be able to lie 2. Developer and fixer chemical levels are checked
flat on the counter, with the lids open so they don’t acci- daily and replenished as needed.
dentally fall. 3. Note items that need to be added to a want list or
need repair. Next time you are near the want list,
Processor Maintenance copy the information down or pass the note on to
the inventory manager if more appropriate.
4. File radiographs daily.
The film processor with the developer and fixer tanks 5. Floors are mopped weekly.
are on the wet side of the room. The processor needs 6. View boxes are cleaned weekly and bulbs replaced
weekly attention. The developer and fixer tanks need to as needed. Any glass‐cleaning liquid will do. Dry
be refreshed or changed as per the quality of the radio- thoroughly so no streaks are left. View boxes may be
graphs. The developer and fixer chemicals are pulled
from tanks as the film moves through the machine.
These tanks usually located on the floor of the darkroom
under the processor. When these get too low for the
hoses to pump fresh chemicals into the machine or they Learning Exercise
have reached the expiration date, they need to be
refreshed or changed. Follow the instructions on the Take a look at the automatic processor in your
outside of the developer and fixer chemical concen- school or clinic if there is one. Lift the covers and
trates for refreshing or changing. PPE required for this look at the rollers. Are they clean? Do they need
task are goggles, waterproof apron, and gloves. It seems attention? Are the developer and fixer tanks both
that no matter how careful you are there is always spill- sufficiently filled? Is the developer tank dark brown
age of water or chemicals. These chemicals are not or light brown?
highly toxic but cause skin drying and for some a