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entire abdominal area and back provides an extra measure of protection.
Pregnant workers should also wear 2 dosimeter badges: one over the apron and
one underneath, in the area of the abdomen. Additionally, pregnant staff
members and physicians should be careful not to stand with their backs toward
the radiation source. They do not, however, need to leave the room or be
prohibited from participating.
Keep it up
Encouragingly, most facilities appear to be doing an excellent job of protecting
caregivers. Many studies that examine dosimeters worn both outside and inside
aprons show nearly zero exposure underneath, even when large amounts of
radiation are detected outside. Keeping up with the literature and the latest safe-
ty guidelines helps make sure both staff and patients continue to achieve the
highest degree of protection possible.
OSM
Mr. Burlingame (bburlingame@aorn.org) is a senior
perioperative nursing specialist for AORN in Denver, Colo.
