Re: 1-week RSO's

[rfong@snd10.med.navy.mil (RAY FONG)]

Regarding your statement on "failing to estabish adquate standards for
RSOs".  On the issue of RSO qualification for medical establishments,
10CFR35.900 requires the individual fulfilling the responsibilities of the
Radiation Safety Officer to be an individual board certified by American
Board of Health Physics in Comprehensive Health Physics (and a number of
other certifications are recognized); OR has had classroom and laboratory
training and experience as follow: 200 hours of classroom and laboratory
training that includes: (i) Radiation physics and instrumentation, (ii)
Radiation protection, (iii) Mathematics pertaining to the use and
measurement of radioactivity, (iv) Radiation biology, and (v)
Radiopharmaceutical chemistry; AND One year of full time experience as a
radiation safety technologist at a medical institution under the supervision
of the RSO. - I don't think you can meet the qualification criteria in a 1
week RSO course.  I think these standards are pretty explicit!

R. Fong
RSO
rfong@snd10.med.navy.mil (RAY FONG)


>
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>I appreciate you opening up this thread.  The failing is not of the individual 
>involved but of the Health Physics Society and the regulators for failing to 
>establish adequate standards for RSO's.  If, about to undergo surgery, I asked 
>the surgeon where he went to med school, and he responded that he hadn't, but 
>that he'd worked in hospitals for a while, was a born leader, and tried hard; 
>I don't know about you, but I'd try to crawl out of there.  Yet, we seem to 
>allow this practice for RSO's.   
> 
>Somehow the CHP program isn't working, here, since:  (1) certification is not 
>generally a requirement for RSO, and (2) the exam is perceived as so difficult 
>or so uncertain that a large percentage of hp's do not attempt it.  This is 
>something that we should all be thinking about. Maybe, some intermediate level 
>of certification is needed.  
> 
>The opinions expressed are strictly mine. 
>Here's to a risk free world, and other fantasies. 
> 
>Bill Lipton 
>liptonw@detroitedison.com 
> 
>
>
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>Date: 29 Apr 97 13:13:08
>From:"radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu" <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
>To: Multiple,recipients,of,list,radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
>Subject: 1-week RSO's
>Reply-to: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
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>
>I really don't know how to put his gently, so I'll make apologies in
>advance.  I do not intend on flaming or by any means insinuating lack of
>abililty to any andividual or group, especially not to the person who posted
>the following.  I do not know the particulars of the person's background who
>posted this, nor am I making assumptions, nor should any be inferred.
>
>>Does anyone out there have any information on routine oral administration
>>of KI. I am considering the possibility of offering this option for
>>researchers performing iodinations  who would like to minimize their uptake
>>of radioiodine. Any ideas or info?
>
>This is the TYPE of thing that make me nervous when I see a 1-week RSO
>course offered in the HPS Newsletter and most of the course flyers I get in
>the mail as a result of being a HPS subscriber.  It must be a real "cash
>cow" to offer such a course, given the number of offerings I've seen.  Are
>there companies out there who routinely hire folks who have taken an RSO
>course, but who have little education and/or experience in Health Physics?
>Do you as a RADSAFER feel that a 1-week RSO course is all that should be
>required for some RSO positions?  I would be especially interested in those
>RSOs who have attained their position solely by taking such a course.  I
>truly plead ignorance as to the efficacy of these courses and whether or not
>there are employers who are satisfied with the RSO title only.
>
>It seems to me that if this is the case, there are too many opportunities
>for ideas such as these to take root.  At least the person posting asked
>other professionals before acting.
>
>Again, the person posting may be a Ph.D. in HP for all I know, so don't slam
>me for asking the question...  I would just like to see some discussion from
>all levels on this subject.
>
>Scott O. Schwahn, CHP
>Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
>Newport News, VA
>schwahn@jlab.org
>
>
>
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