Radiology policies and procedures promote proper machine use and patient safety.
Radiology policies and procedures are put in place to protect patients and personnel from radiation used in diagnostic procedures. While radiation exposure is necessary to create the images needed to diagnose injuries and illnesses, excessive doses can lead to larger health problems. Proper training and education through effective policy making reduces the chances for equipment misuse.
Radiation Safety Officer
Each hospital radiology department or diagnostic imaging center employs a radiation safety officer. This person is most commonly the chairperson or director of radiology and is tasked with creating, implementing and supervising radiology policies at the hospital or diagnostic imaging center. The radiation safety officer approves the purchase and repair of all imaging equipment, monitors performance levels of imaging units, investigates reports of radiation exposure or hazardous equipment, logs files of imaging equipment inspection, and trains all staff in safety procedures and policies.
Certification and Licensing of Staff
It is the policy of all radiology departments and diagnostic imaging centers that all staff be trained in the safe use of all imaging equipment including x-ray machines and magnetic resonance imaging devices. Certification and/or licensure from a regionally accredited medical institution is also required for personnel to operate equipment on a patient. Hospitals may maintain a policy of training other licensed medical personnel such as nurses to use diagnostic imaging equipment, but this training must be provided under the direction of the radiation safety officer.
Radiation Protection
Policies and procedures are developed at each medical facility with diagnostic imaging equipment to protect personnel and patients from dangerous radiation exposure. Personnel may be required to wear radiation detection equipment when conducting examinations or being in the facility at all. Other policies might include special protections for pregnant employees, and the use of lead aprons for areas of patient's bodies not intended for radiation exposure and for all employees working within 3 feet of patients undergoing treatment.
Informed Patient Consent
It is the policy of many medical institutions that patients give informed consent for examinations involving radiation exposure. This consent is required to be given in writing and informs the patient of the levels of radiation he is being exposed to, the risks associated with the procedure and the cumulative effects that radiation exposure could have on his body. This consent is necessary for medical liability purposes in the event that the patient attempts to sue the hospital sighting a lack of knowledge about the procedure's risk.
Tags: radiation exposure, diagnostic imaging, imaging equipment, radiation safety officer, diagnostic imaging center, diagnostic imaging equipment
