94 NMT Clinical Radiation Safety Policies

RADIATION SAFETY POLICIES

Radiation Monitoring Device Responsibilities

The Program will issue each student a current radiation monitoring device provided through the IUPUI Radiation Safety Office. Periodic personnel exposure reports received from the RSO will be presented to the students as they come available. The Program follows the RSO ALARA Program, which includes policies and procedures for monitoring and intervention in the event of excessive personnel exposure.  If a student’s measured dose equivalent exceeds 125 mrem (1.25 mSv) at any time during a calendar quarter, the student will receive an “Investigation of Elevated Radiation Exposure” form from the IUPUI/IUMC Radiation Safety Office to be completed and returned to that office.

Students are responsible for wearing a current monitoring device while working in clinic and in lab when unsealed radioactivity is being utilized. Students not wearing a current monitoring device or not wearing the correct badge will NOT be allowed to remain in clinic or lab.  Students who lose their monitoring device MUST inform their program director or RISP clinical instructor as soon as possible.  Students will need to go to the Radiation Safety Office, CL 159, immediately, to obtain a replacement badge.

Radiation Safety Instruction

Since Nuclear Medicine entails the use of small amounts of radioactive materials, it is important that the Nuclear Medicine Technology (NMT) student be aware of proper radiation protection and monitoring measures.  A class in radiation safety will be taught to acquaint the student with radiation protection measures.  In addition, students are required to wear body and ring badges to monitor their radiation exposure while in the clinical facilities or in lab when utilizing unsealed sources of radioactivity.  To know more about radiation risks and regulations, NMT students must read the N.R.C. Regulatory Guide 8.13 and the Nuclear Medicine/PET Radiation Safety Procedures Manual for IUPUI and Associated Facilities.  Both documents must be completely read and acknowledged during the first summer session of training.

Radiation Monitoring Devices Exchange Procedures

• Monitoring devices are exchanged once a month outside the program director’s office.
• Students will exchange ring and body badges for new ones by the 10th day of the month. If the 10th falls on a weekend or during a holiday period, then the badges will be due by the last clinic/class day before the weekend or holiday begins.
• Students will receive an email toward the end of each month, with notification that the new monitors have been posted and a reminder of the exchange date (10th of month). After the date specified in the email, non-compliance penalties will apply*.
• Students should double check to ensure they have picked up the correct badges.

Penalties for Radiation Monitoring Device Non-Compliance

Non-compliance examples include, but are not limited to:

• exchanging a monitor/badge for the wrong badge
• losing a radiation monitor/badge
• washing, drying, or otherwise damaging the monitor/badge so that it cannot be read
• not exchanging a monitor/badge by the due date

*Penalties are cumulative throughout the entire program

Additional Penalty for Late or Lost Radiation Monitoring Device/Badge

The Radiation Safety Office charges the Radiologic and Imaging Science Programs delinquent fees for late or lost radiation monitoring devices/badges. Students must pay a $10.00 fee for lost device/badge or for a device/badge that is not exchanged by the monthly due date (on or before the 10th of the month).  If the monitor/badge is not turned in by the 10th day of the month, the student will receive a memo/email indicating that a $10.00 fee is due.  Checks or a money order for the late fee should be made out to the IU Foundation and turned into the program director no later than the last day of the month in which the infraction occurred.

Penalties for turning in a device/badge late (i.e: a grade reduction), apply regardless of the late / lost fee payment.    Students will be check-listed with the University if assessed fees go unpaid.  Students cannot register for classes or graduate if check listed.

Pregnancy Policy

This policy was created in consultation with the Indiana University/Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Radiation Safety Office (RSO).  The declaration of pregnancy by a student is voluntary and not required.  Studies have shown that the fetus is more sensitive to radiation than the mother.  Information related to the risk of radiation and pregnancy was provided when the student originally applied for and received a personnel monitoring badge.  An additional copy of that information is available from the RSO.  If the pregnancy is declared (such a declaration must be in writing using the current RSO form), adequate precautions must be observed to assure the cumulative dose equivalent to the fetus is less than 500 millirem (mrem) or 5 millisieverts (mSv) over the entire pregnancy.  Furthermore, it is recommended that any radiation exposures that occur over the entire pregnancy be relatively uniform from one month to another.  In some cases, the RSO and/or a supervisor or program director may impose specific restrictions to assure the limits are not exceeded.

Given the aforementioned information, the pregnant student may choose any one of the following options:

Option #1 – Undeclared Pregnancy

The pregnant student may choose not to declare pregnancy.  As indicated above, the declaration of pregnancy by a student is voluntary and not required.  If pregnancy is not declared, the radiation exposure limits for occupational radiation workers (5,000 mrem or 50 mSv) would apply to both the student and her unborn child. The RSO will monitor exposure applying the same standards used for the non-pregnant radiation worker.  It should be noted that the student may choose any of the other options at any time during her pregnancy.

Option #2 – Declare Pregnancy and Continue in the Program

Declaration of pregnancy places specific responsibilities on the institution to assure the 500 mrem limit to the fetus is not exceeded.  The RSO will be monitoring the pregnant student’s monthly exposures closely.  If any unusual exposures are noted in a given month or if the cumulative exposure approaches the 500 mrem limit, the RSO and the NMT Program Director would meet with the student to discuss possible causes of the elevated exposures and any restrictions that might be necessary to assure the limit is not exceeded.  Such restrictions could include delaying participation in clinical rotations that could potentially lead to additional, elevated exposures (e.g., rotations in Positron Emission Tomography or Radiopharmacy). Changes in the clinical experience schedule would only occur if the student exposure is likely to exceed one of the NRC dose limits.

It should be noted that if rotation restrictions are deemed necessary, substitute clinical rotations will not be provided.  All clinical rotations missed by the student must be made up.  This will result in a delay in the completion of the NMT program.  In addition to the clinical restrictions, progress in didactic courses may be affected when these courses have prerequisite or co-requisite clinical courses associated with them.

If the student does not wish to follow the restrictions, she may “un-declare” her pregnancy by notifying the Radiation Safety Office and NMT Program Director in writing.

Option #3 – Declare Pregnancy With Requested Restrictions in Clinical Rotations

Even though the potential for a pregnant NMT student to exceed the 500 mrem limit to her fetus is low, a student may specifically request that she not be required to participate in clinical rotations that may result in elevated radiation exposures.  By doing so, the student acknowledges that completion of the program will be affected as described above in option 2.

Option #4 – Request Temporary Leave

A pregnant student may request a leave of absence not to exceed one year and either withdraw from or attempt to complete the courses in which she is currently enrolled.  If the student continues in currently enrolled courses, she will need to decide whether or not to declare pregnancy during that time period (i.e., either option 1 or 2).  Once the temporary leave is granted, there would be a place reserved for the student in the next accepted class.  It would not be necessary to submit another application for admission.

Option #5 – Permanent Withdrawal

A pregnant student may request to withdraw from the NMT Program for an indefinite period of time.  If she wishes to be reinstated, she must submit a Health Professions Programs Application and compete for readmission to the program.  Any previous coursework would be reevaluated at the time of readmission to assure competency has been maintained.

Pregnancy Policy Revised 8/27/08