The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) has developed a free Occupational Radiation Exposure (ORE) training program for all people working in medical facilities that use ionising radiation.
Chief Medical Radiation Scientist at ARPANSA, Ivan Williams said many workplaces used radiation and it was essential employees understood the risks and protections in place.
“This includes hospitals and clinics that use X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans or nuclear medicine,” Dr Williams said.
“The ORE modules provide useful information and guidance for all medical and non-medical staff and can be tailored to different occupations including nurses, cleaning staff and radiologists.”
He said they were the first online training modules of their kind that allowed participants to personalise material to their individual needs.
Dr Williams said the modules would support efforts for comprehensive and consistent radiation safety training for all staff working in medical facilities.
“We’ve already had uptake from a range of facilities across Australia and we’ve received positive feedback from clinics and staff,” he said.
“Empowering all staff with the information they need to understand the level of risk builds an informed workforce and also supports patient confidence and safety.”
Dr Williams said health risks from occupational exposure to ionising radiation were well managed in Australia and the training modules provided an extra level of reassurance and understanding.
“The ORE modules are interactive, use contemporary adult learning principles and have been developed with extensive feedback from industry,” he said.
More information about ARPANSA’s Occupational Radiation Exposure for medical facilities can be accessed at this PS News link.
