Radiation Safety Awareness: Uses of ionising radiation in the medical sector course

Course overview

1. Appreciate the nature ionising radiations in the workplace.
2. Review the three key sources of ionising radiation use in medicine (x-ray generators, sealed and unsealed radioactive materials)
3. Review the medical modalities where ionising radiation is used e.g. diagnostic x-ray, radiotherapy, brachytherapy, nuclear medicine (diagnostic and treatment), and some specifics such as DEXA, sentinel node biopsy, interventional radiology, PET, SPECT and much more.
4. Note the key principles of radiation protection (time, distance, shielding, containment) and how they apply to each modality.
5. Understand how we monitor the workplace for ionising radiation, and when you may be asked to wear dosimetry (person radiation monitor).
6. Understand the role of PPE in the medical sector (e.g. lead apron in diagnostic x-ray, leaded glasses in x-ray fluoroscopy, gloves and gowns in a nuclear medicine laboratory).
7. Understand the findings of radiation risk assessment and what they mean to you.
8. Understand the requirements of Local Rules (the do's and the do not) and typical contingency arrangements
9. Understand the role of the Radiation Protection Supervisor (you will have a local RPS at your workplace).

This course is designed for those who work in the medical sector (NHS or private) who need radiation safety training at the awareness level. The course will be suitable for specialist staff who work directly with ionising radiation, non-specialist staff working in departments where ionising radiation may be present, and other staff who may have contact with patients who have been administered with radioactive material (e.g. PET). The course may also be of interest to suppliers and installers of medical equipment and engineers who undertake service and repair.

Where a delegate only works in one modality (e.g. x-ray) the course will provide sufficient radiation safety awareness in all modalities, making for an interesting course for the delegate, whilst allowing the employer flexibility as the training is delivered all in one go.

This is not aimed at those who need Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) training (we have an RPS course which would fulfil that requirement). The training material is written by Mark Ramsay who is Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) to many medical related companies covering all modalities. Mark will often be found on hospital sites undertaking critical examinations of medical equipment, liaising with medical physics, evaluating radiation shielding and performing other radiation safety related assessments.

Throughout we will present the delegate with little quizzes and puzzles to provide reassurance. If you have any difficulties with the content please feel free to contact the tutor (Mark) using the chat service.

Completing this course will ensure your employer meets the requirements of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17) with respect to radiation awareness level training in the medical sector.

At the end of this course you will take a small test and on successful completion be awarded an achievement certificate. Please note the test is "open book" so you can use two browser windows if you wish, one to host the course test, and the other to display your course material (just duplicate the browser window and then navigate as you wish).