Radiation Safety Training in Hospitals

Radioactive materials are present in hospitals. Radiation is used for several purposes such as providing an image of internal organs as well as killing cancer and sterilizing equipment. Radiation safety in hospitals includes training for nurses, nuclear medicine specialists, and technicians.

Inspection

• Hospital radiation program safety is subject to inspections. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which tracks nuclear materials in the United States, audits hospitals. State programs such as the Virginia Health Physics Program also send inspectors to hospitals to make sure they follow state nuclear safety regulations. Radiation safety staff study applicable state and federal radiation regulations.

Educational Credentials

• Hospitals often have radiation safety staff. According to the Health Physics Society, hospital radiation safety officers should have a graduate degree in a physical science, preferably a health science such as medical physics or biophysics, as well as applicable experience in hospital radiation safety. Hospital radiation safety staff take training courses on operating specific equipment such as cyclotrons located in their hospital.

Radioactive Materials Inventory

• Hospitals must keep records of all of the radiation producing materials they control. This includes radioactive markers used to track processes in the body. Hospitals must also record all of their equipment such as X-ray machines and radioactive sterilizers. Non radioactive sources of radiation, such as microwave ovens and lasers, must also be recorded, according to the Health Physics Society. Radioactive waste must also be monitored. This includes discarded radioactive medication, as well as X-ray machines and other equipment.

Doses and Protection

• Radiation safety officers learn acceptable doses of radiation. This includes necessary radiation dosages for treatments, as well as total exposure limits for hospital staff. Radiation safety training includes the use of devices that block radiation, such as lead shields. Staff are trained in the use of these devices and their proper placement on patients' bodies, as well as the amount of radiation they can block. According to Washington University in Saint Louis, radiation exposure to the full body or to the eye includes a lower allowable maximum dose than radiation exposure to extremities such as fingertips.

Storage Regulations

• Radiation safety includes storage regulations. Radiation experts are taught how to store radioactive substances, often in sealed containers with lead coated walls. They also learn how to test for contamination and leakage of radioactive materials. Since some types of radioactive particles are more hazardous, their storage requires additional protection, such as a Plexiglas container, to prevent leaks according to the University of Iowa. A Lucite shield may be placed over a glass syringe containing radioactive medication as well.