The article Radiation Protection of Medical Staff1 looks at the various occupational hazards medical imaging personnel face on a day to day basis. As technology has improved over the years, there has been an increase in the number of medical imaging procedures in which medical imaging staff must stay in the room or near the patient when the radiation exposure takes place. Because of this, medical imaging personnel could be at a substantial risk of occupational exposure to radiation and they must be aware of the proper actions and steps that are in place to keep their occupational exposure dose as low as reasonably achievable.
This article by Heron, Padovani, Smith and Czarwinski1, helps to break down exactly where occupational exposure can take place in the medical workplace and where the
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These procedures are in place for a reason and while the effects of radiation may not be seen overnight, if you are not protecting yourself, you may have health problems in the future because of your own negligence. Because there is a risk of being exposed to radiation in this job, knowing all the potential risks before you go out into the workforce will benefit a person immensely and will allow them to always be thinking of their own occupational dose and the possibility they might be getting irradiated and how they can prevent this as much as …show more content…
Eye protection should be considered when a medical personnel is close to the primary beam and lead gloves to cover the hand may also need to be worn more often as procedures
Radiologic technology is a satisfying and rewarding career. It is a technical and refined science. As a radiological technologist, there are many essential duties and responsibilities that have to be fulfilled in order to be a good one. First of all, radiological technologists have to maintain a well-mannered and professional behavior when gathering information. They have to assure their patients that they are in good hands therefore; they give patients the uppermost quality of care and services. Second of all, the main responsibility of a healthcare provider is to keep all knowledge of a patient’s health record confidential or secluded. That means radiological technologists cannot talk about patients at home or with friends and classmates
Advances in both radiography and radiation treatment keep on advancing and get to be more sophisticated. Cases incorporate digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in which, apparently, there is the potential for more prominent inclusion by radiographers and by radiation therapists in image guided radiation treatment. Looking even to the moderately later past underscores the degree to which change is happening in the radiography and radiation treatment work environment. Case in point, ten years prior it was radiologists who embedded cannulas for CT patients (AIR 2014, 1). Presently radiographers and attendants attempt the assignment. In private radiology hones, Australian radiographers now consistently embed central lines and do feature joint, shoulder, arm, and tendon infusions under supervision.
To the contrary of this belief, by allowing untrained professional to administer radiation without the proper licensure or training not only will this result in unsafe practices, but it will also allow for greater permissible error without having to take accountability for their
Specific health problems associated with the workplace have contributed to the development of Particular health issues connected with the work environment have added to the advancement of the cutting edge safety and health development. These issues incorporate lung infections in diggers, mercury harming, and lung tumor attached to asbestos. Occupational and Environmental Health Professionals have an above normal extent of all day employments. For Occupational and Environmental Health Professionals working all day, normal week by week hours are 42.3 and profit are high - in the ninth decile. Unemployment for Health Professionals is underneath normal. H&S Professionals have an expansive extent of specialists amongst individuals in the 25-34 age section, making it an energetic and dynamic workplace. The unavoidable consequence of the expanded consideration given to safety and health is that bigger organizations are utilizing safety and health professionals and all organizations big or small are relegating these obligations to existing representatives.
The work environment :- GITS The work environment plays a significant role in our health. Workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses are high and lead to an enormous health burden, suffering, and economic loss. Which is why, a proactive approach to health and safety at work can help employers achieve healthier employees, low absenteeism, fewer injuries, lower long-term risk, and lower payouts for disability and health care costs. General activities :- The occupational hygienist may be involved with the assessment and control of physical, chemical, biological or environmental hazards in the workplace or community that could cause injury or disease. Physical hazards may include noise, temperature extremes, illumination extremes, ionizing
However, if you are willing to take that option and you are wanting to become a Radiation Technologists, you must be willing to take a hold on the responsibilities and duties. These responsibilities and duties may be challenging, but can be extremely rewarding in the long run. You must be very patient while reading the details of an image. In order to protect your patient from radiation there must be a radiation shield over them. But, before you can get started on any x-rays, there are questions about their medical history that need to be asked first. Organizing and neatness can be a major key in keeping up with medical records of patients. Although you think your job may be just x-rays and the like, you still have a physician present in the room at all times who will be giving you instructions on where to x-ray the patient.
Keeping track of the radiation doses by several employees is also a good way to prevent these medical errors. This action, as you said, would make people accountable for the administration of the treatment. Paradise Hill failed to implement these controls and as a result a preventable medical error was done.
I hereby certify that this information is correct to the best of my knowledge. I authorize Parkwest Medical Center to request past radiation exposure records, if any, from previous
Although there have been signs of leukemia, there is still uncertainty if that long hours of radiation exposure has any effect on x-ray techs. (RSNA) Although I first believed that as an x-ray tech I would be diagnosed with cancer or some other disease, I now know that there is only a slight possibility that I will even be diagnosed. Even though getting zapped by some kind of radiation would turn the x-ray tech into a powerful beast would be cool, it is impossible… for now anyways.
Work health and safety is a crucial aspect in any professional work environment especially when there is the potential for risk towards oneself or others. As a radiographer providing a public health service, there is a certain level of care and responsibility required when making clinical decisions. This case study presents several issues that a radiographer must be aware of and address to the best of their ability. The role of the radiographer is to obtain the best possible images whilst ensuring the safety of the patient, others and most
If you have thought about becoming a Radiologic Technologist, someone who performs imaging examinations, but do not know if it is the right choice for you. This paper will inform the reader as to how to become a Radiologic Technologist, their job description, ranging from the work settings to the kind of patients they deal with, some of the challenges and rewards, including their salary as well. At the end of this paper you should be able to make up your mind on becoming one or not.
I agree with you that doses are very small. I see your point of caring for the patient and not necessarily use a lead shield. However, remember the rules of personal protection: Time, Dose and Distance. If you have a procedure that might take you an hour and you will spend it with a patient, you will be exposed to a higher dose of radiation. I would think that in this particular example, we should use a lead shield, because we want to minimize/ decrease our annual dose of radiation exposure. If we will neglect all the safety rules, we might be in trouble. You always wear your seat belt while driving, right? It will increase your chance of survival during a car accident. Some people neglect to do that, like my husband, and his risk of being
Professionalism is at the cornerstone of a radiographers practice. It ensures a patient can entrust skills and competence of the professional. The Australian Institute of Radiography list what radiographer should demonstrate in an fluoroscopic interaction. Highlighted is the need for expertise in infection control, setting parameters for screening, exposure factor comprehension, being a team member and being “mindful of… radiation protection” (Radiography, 2013). Being aware of the radiation exposed to the patient and team members is essential in practice. The governing body that regulates ionizing radiation is ARPANSA, Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safty Agency. They cite the “ALARA” priciple as the phiosophy for preventing radation to the patient. That is to keep dose As Low as Reasonably Archiveable (Protection, 2011). This can be achieved practically
While healthy babies are born every day, not everyone is so fortunate. In many cases, diagnostic radiology is required for patients during their childhood. Can having this radiation during the formative years lead to adverse effects later in life? The biggest concern from radiation is the risk of cancer. Cancer can occur at any dose from ionizing radiation because it is a stochastic effect, meaning that it is probabilistic. The probability of a stochastic effect, such as cancer, increases as the dose increases. While receiving this radiation may be necessary, it can cause some serious trouble later in life, such as breast cancer, leukemia, and thyroid cancer.
When assisting the patient, the radiographers have to make sure they provide radiation safety not only for the patient but also for themselves. There are many different methods to providing safety. With the equipment and radiation dosage, highest KVp and the lowest mAs is used to provide the minimum amount of dosage required for the procedure. Furthermore, safety can be provided by reducing the amount of rime in radiation area, by putting as much distance between you and the radiation source as possible. When performing a portable examination stand at least six feet from x-ray source and wear a lead apron. The patient should remove any jewelry or metal accessories that may interfere with radiation procedure and both the technologist and the patient needs to wear protective lead shields for example lead gloves, aprons, skirts and thyroid shields to protect the other body parts from the radiation. It is advised to also always wear monitoring device at collar level. Lastly, the technologist uses immobilization devices to hold the patients when needed.