Re: Rad workers - but not trained

[Keith Welch <welch@CEBAF.GOV>]

At 07:46 PM 2/9/97 -0600, you wrote:

>I agree that they should be trained prior to working with radioactive 
>materials or radiation generating equipment. I do know that for the 
>most part, hospital x-ray techs as well as nuclear medicine techs do 
>receive educational training. My question remains, isn't radiation 
>exposure, regulations, protection devices and radiation saftey 
>taught? If these subjects were discussed, I don't believe as many of 
>them would be calling asking the questions they do. Some I've talked 
>to aren't even familiar with the terms collimation, image 
>intensification, and where the direct beam is and how that relates to 
>scattered radiation exposure.
>
>------------------
>Sandy Perle


I think the problem is that it all comes down to dollars.  The hospitals,
clinics, etc. are going to do whatever training they MUST do to comply with
the law (just as nuc. power, research labs, and others do).  It is
'unnecessary' expense to train them further.  But when the training is
limited to that minimum required level, you see many weaknesses.  The techs
and PhDs get enough training (hopefully) to keep from injuring themselves or
others, but at that level, you cannot expect the training to actually
provide a good 'understanding' of HP.  After all, how long is the average
hospital rad training course, a couple hours?

Of interest to me is this: that when this situation exists (minimal training
budget), the quality of the training is extremely dependent on the "quality"
of the individuals doing the training.  I think this is widely overlooked.
Particularly in these lean situations, "training" tends to get shoved onto
someone as an extra duty they'd just as soon not have.  When this is the
case, expect poorly trained personnel.  When you are relying on the efforts
of one or two people to provide training, it would seem obvious that you'd
want someone doing it who,  1. wants to do it,  2. knows the subject very
well, and  3. has a genuine interest in and commitment to providing the best
possible training given the circumstances.  In HP it is easy to forget the
importance of the individual doing the job because we rely so heavily on
"the program" - as if the people carrying out the program are all
interchangeable.  All you trainers out there who really care, give
yourselves a pat on the back.  YOU make the difference between rad workers
who "understand" and those who don't.

Keith Welch
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
Newport News VA
welch@cebaf.gov