Radiation Safety Course Overview
Healthcare workers face potential radiation exposure from multiple sources throughout clinical settings. Radiation is used therapeutically to treat diseases like cancer through external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy, diagnostically through X-rays, CT scans, fluoroscopy, and mammography, and in nuclear medicine procedures using radioactive isotopes for imaging and treatment. Additional radiation sources exist in laboratory environments, pharmaceutical compounding areas, and research facilities. Despite widespread use of radiation in modern healthcare, many workers lack adequate understanding of radiation hazards, protective measures, and exposure monitoring requirements.
This course informs healthcare workers on the sources and hazards of radiation in the workplace and provides essential safe work practices for radiation protection. Employees learn to define ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, identify radiation sources found in healthcare settings, understand the biological effects of radiation exposure including deterministic and stochastic effects, apply the ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable), and implement the three fundamental protection methods: time, distance, and shielding.
Radiation Safety Course Content
Lesson 1: Introduction and Objectives
Scope of radiation use in healthcare, importance of radiation safety training, regulatory oversight (NRC, state agencies), course objectives, and overview of radiation protection principles
Lesson 2: Radiation Sources and Hazards
Types of radiation, ionizing radiation types, penetrating power and biological hazards of each type, therapeutic radiation sources, diagnostic radiation sources, nuclear medicine sources, laboratory and research sources, and naturally occurring radiation
Lesson 3: Radiation Exposure Effects
Units of radiation measurement, deterministic effects, stochastic effects, latency periods, dose-response relationships, radiation sensitivity of different tissues, cumulative exposure concerns, and occupational exposure limits
Lesson 4: Radiation Exposure Limits
NRC occupational dose limits, separate limits for minors and pregnant workers, declared pregnancy provisions, lens of eye dose limits, skin and extremity limits, public dose limits, ALARA philosophy and regulatory requirements, facility-specific exposure limits, and dosimetry badge requirements for monitoring exposure
Lesson 5: Protecting Against Radiation Exposure
ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable), three fundamental protection methods, engineered controls, administrative controls, personal protective equipment, proper badge wear and monitoring, and emergency response procedures for spills or unexpected exposures


