Radiology Nurses' Awareness of Radiation
Section snippets
Effects of Radiation
The effects of radiation may be classified into stochastic and nonstochastic (Sherer, Visconti, & Ritenour, 2002). Stochastic effects are described as random and unpredictable and can result in cancer or genetic mutations, whereas nonstochastic effects are predictable and preventable. Erythema, epilation, and decreased sperm count are examples of nonstochastic effects. Special protection should be provided to certain organs of the body, namely the thyroid and the reproductive organs (gonads)
Setting
The study was conducted in Kuwait, a country that lies at the northwest corner of the Arabian (Persian) Gulf, between latitudes 28°N and 30°N and longitudes 46°E and 48°E. It has a total area of 17,818 km2, and it is divided into six health regions (Kennedy, 1998). Hospitals representing four health regions were used for the study. These were the Capital, Hawalli, Al-Sabah, and Al-Jahra health regions.
Sample
The sample of this study included 35 radiology nurses working in radiology departments
Results
Table 1 shows a summary of demographic data of radiology nurses. As expected the largest group of the population (86%) was of Asian origin, and the smallest group (14%) was of non-Kuwaiti Arab origin. This distribution is typical, not only of hospitals in Kuwait but also of those in the Arabian Gulf Region. A large majority of the nurses, 16 (44%), almost half of the sample, were between the ages 30 and 39 years. The second largest group, 11 (34%), was made up of nurses who were 40 years and
Discussion
The objective of this study was to explore the awareness level of radiation risks among radiology nurses working in different hospitals in Kuwait. The demographic data of the radiology nurses suggested that the level of awareness to radiation could not be attributed to their nationality, age, gender, qualification, or experience in both nursing and radiology departments. The results also suggested that the vast majority of these nurses were not aware of the two principles of radiation
Limitations of the Study
This study recognizes the following limitations:
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The results of this study and the conclusions are limited to the geographic areas covered by this study and the selected health care facilities.
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The findings are limited to the period in which the study was conducted.
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The small number of participants in some categories may not be representative of that category.
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The health care facilities that are covered by the study are five governmental hospitals. The private hospitals, Kuwait Oil Company
Conclusions and Recommendations
Unfortunately, most nurses working in radiology departments in Kuwait hospitals are not aware of the radiation protection and risks. They are not provided with courses regarding radiation risks before or after they become radiology nurses. Worse still was the fact that they were not specialized in radiology. They were only assigned by their nursing managers to work in this area without proper preparation from both the nursing and the radiology departments. Sadly, these nurses were not provided
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2020, Journal of Radiology NursingCitation Excerpt :At this stage, it can only be assumed that health care professionals realize the hazards of radiation but continue to lack knowledge regarding the precise amount of radiation in each imaging procedure, which could indirectly affect the quality of health care provided to patients. This poor level knowledge was also supported by previous studies among nurses (Alotaibi & Saeed, 2006; Alotaibi et al., 2015; Badawy et al., 2016), radiographers (Briggs-Kamara et al., 2013; Mojiri & Moghimbeigi, 2011; Shah et al., 2011), interns, physicians, and cardiologists (Günalp et al., 2014; Kew et al., 2012; Kim et al., 2010; Quinn et al., 1997; Zhou et al., 2010). The results of the present study emphasize the need to implement educational programs and comprehensive training for medical staff.
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Development and validation of a psychometric scale for assessing healthcare professionals' knowledge in radiation protection
2019, RadiographyCitation Excerpt :However, it has been suggested that the absence of a reliable scale results in unsystematically collected and unreliable data.27,28 According to published evidence8,10,11 and regulations,1–3 all healthcare professionals who are involved in the use of ionising radiation need to possess adequate competence (knowledge, skills and attitudes) in radiation safety. This competence comprises three areas: 1) knowledge of principles, theories and practical examples concerning the physical background of radiation; 2) skills of the basic principles of radiation exposure in the healthcare setting; and 3) responsibility and autonomy in recognising radiation hazards.