Radiation safety procedures.
Radiation, like fire, is a resource that can be both helpful and, if used incorrectly, extremely dangerous. Radiation therapy, a procedure in which cancer patients receive measured doses of radiation, has proven to be an effective means of treating a wide variety of malignancies. This therapy is effective because the radiation destroys the DNA of the cancerous cells, killing them. Unfortunately, the radiation cannot distinguish between healthy cells and malignant cells. Therefore, it is crucial that the medical facility administering the radiation take careful safety precautions to limit the danger.
Equipment Check
The first safety procedure before radiation therapy is administered is a thorough check of all radiation-emitting equipment. Beam output should be carefully monitored. This will help ensure that the patient does not receive too much radiation due to mechanical error. It is also standard procedure to double-check and verify all dosing instructions prior to treatment. This helps lessen the chance that human error will result in a life-threatening overdose of radiation.
Protecting the Patient
Precautions should be put in place to ensure effective and safe treatment while the radiation is being administered. Radiation therapy is generally given five days a week for anywhere between two and eight weeks. This schedule allows for small, daily doses of radiation. The radiation is directed by angled beams toward the cancerous area of the patient's body. Both of these procedures help minimize the patient's exposure to radiation, as well as limiting damage to healthy cells.
Protecting the Medical Staff
Precautions should be taken to protect those administering the radiation. The procedure should be done in an isolated room. After adjusting the machine and ensuring patient comfort, the medical professional administering the therapy will then leave the room. During the procedure, no one but the patient is in the therapy room. This is a very important precaution because it helps the medical professional to avoid exposure to radiation. Otherwise, on a daily basis over a long period of time, the medical professional would be in danger of developing complications such as cancer or radiation poisoning.
Tags: medical professional, administering radiation, doses radiation, exposure radiation, healthy cells
