Rad workers - but not trained

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@ix.netcom.com>]

Over the past few months I have been exposed (no pun intended) to the 
fact that many individuals who work in the medical arena, such as 
x-ray techs, nuclear medicine techs and laboratory research workers 
apparently do not understand the basics of radiation exposure, health 
physics or radiation protection. What is more disturbing is that 
I have had to answr the same types of questions from physicians 
and PhDs. Some of the types of questions I have been asked are:

1. How dangerous is this 10 mrem exposure I received?
2. How much lifetime dose can I receive?
3. How come I never received an exposure before and now I have thisd 
    10 mrem exposure?
4. Why can't I keep the Control Badge in the room where the x-ray 
    machine is located? Isn't that where the badge should be located?
5. Can I tell them if the dose on this badge received was received 
    over time or all at once?

One benefit out of all of this is that I have had the opportunity to 
talk and provide training to the individuals when they call. They 
generally appear to be less concerned after a detailed discussion. 
One thing that is very difficult to explain is that of a dose 
assigned when none was received before. After explaining that there 
is an LLD for reporting, and that when they see no dose reported, 
that doesn't mean that the dose was ZERO. It only means that the dose 
measured was < 10mrem (our LLD) .. and statistically, they could have 
been receiving 9.4 mrem every month and this time received 9.9, which 
equated to an exposure of 10 mrem. I also try to explain that if they 
were wearing a dosimeter for a quarter, and not for only a month, 
that the 9.4 (if constant for the 3 months) would equate to an 
exposure of 28.2 mrem or 29 merem after rounding off. After a short 
time, they do understand this.

Many converations have been around why there is a dose assigned to 
the individual when their Control Badge isn't returned. There is an 
apparent lack of understanding as to the purpose of the Control 
Badge, and that is used as a transit dose and other background 
subtractions, and without it, there can be no realistic subtraction, 
other than a minimal built-in factor.

What is very scary when I consider all of this is ..... the patients 
most likely are getting their questions regarding radiation, dose and 
health effects, answered from these same individuals, who apparently 
aren't familiar with the very basics that they should have been 
trained on.

I would be inetersted from the RSOs and other individuals who work 
with these radiation workers as to their perspective regarding the 
level of education and training that these indivduals receive. How 
much continuing training do they receive, and is there much in the 
area of regulatory dose limits, and what they mean to the worker?

Thanks for any information provided.

------------------
Sandy Perle
Technical Director
ICN Dosimetry Division
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Office: (800) 548-5100 x2306 
Fax:    (714) 668-3149
  
E-Mail: sandyfl@ix.netcom.com
        sperle@icnpharm.com

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the mouth is to close it again on something solid"
              - G. K. Chesterton -