Re: Badges for surgery

[JGarrett@mbhs.org]

Thanks to all who replied and provided input into this dilemma. Glad to

hear that this isn't an isolated situation -  far from it actually. As yall

(I am in the South) might have guessed, I received responses covering each

end of the spectrum: from keep'm badged to it's ok to not badge. So, I

thought I would share my comments/decision on this matter.



I'll first state that when this is brought to the attention of the

Radiation Safety Committee next month, I can pretty much count on them

backing me on this; I do have a fairly supportive cast in the RSC. So my

plan of action is to continue to badge the employees in Surgery. If we

simply threw in the dish towel whenever we were presented with a person or

group of people who didn't want to do something I imagine we'd be in a big

heap of something right about now. I understand that it is frustrating to

see monthly reports showing badges that were not even opened. However, I

believe it is my responsibility to provide the means for exposure

monitoring.



I also think this is a liability issue for myself (i.e. job) and for the

hospital (i.e. lawsuits). In these times of lawsuits coming from every nook

and cranny I believe it is our responsibility to provide the means for

exposure monitoring. If they chose to not wear the dosimeter you at least

have the documentation demonstrating a good faith attempt at monitoring

their exposure. I don't think the following scenario is out of the realm of

possibilities: an employee develops some type of cancer and attempts to

blame it on the radiation he or she received while in Radiology or

elsewhere and that because we didn't monitor their exposure while an

employee at our institution we are liable. When it comes to Physicians,

let's face it they are more concerned with saving someone's life than they

are with putting on a badge, even though we as RSOs think it is important

that they wear the dosimeter. My wife is constantly telling how important

it is to squeegee the shower door after I'm done with my shower because to

her it is vitally important - to her not to me. Just because I choose not

to squeegee every morning ( I can say this because she undoubtedly will not

be reading the RadSafe listserver) doesn't mean she is not going to

continue to clean the shower and to remind me to squeegee. And I'm not

saying Radiation Safety is on the same level as shower doors - just drawing

and analogy. I think we continue to do the right thing not the least

controversial thing. As for non-Physicians we should consistently and

persistently remind the employees, their supervisors and our

administration. But I still think we should do the right thing which in my

opinion is to badge the employees who work in the close vicinity of

radiation - lest we get scummy shower doors.



Additionally, dosimeters are such a small part of the overall operating

budget of a hospital I think it is a small price for some measure of

accountability and reassurance.



Jeffrey A. Garrett, MS, DABR

Chief Physicist

Mississippi Baptist Medical Center

1225 North State Street

Jackson, MS 39202



Office: 601-968-1725

Cancer Center: 601-968-1416 or 1420

Fax: 601-960-3317











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