ALARA Policy

X-ray equipment may only be activated by Indiana State Department of Health-authorized technical staff or students using practices that assure ionizing radiation exposure is kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). ALARA practices fall under the following guidelines:

• Students may only dispense radiation to patients identified in a physician-ordered radiographic procedure. Students are never to expose other students, staff, or public to radiation.
• Students must not hold image receptors or patients during any radiographic procedure.
• Technical staff should not hold patients during any radiographic procedure when an immobilization method is the appropriate standard of care. When a patient must be held in position for radiography, mechanical supporting or restraining devices should be used.
• If staff must hold the patient, that individual shall wear appropriate protective devices and shall be positioned so that the primary beam will strike no part of their body.
• During fluoroscopic examinations, if the hands are placed under the image intensifier, lead gloves must be worn.
• All students must wear waist and collar dosimetry badges while in the clinical area. The student will change their badges monthly. Badges are stored at the designated site located within the Radiology Department.
• All students are required to monitor their monthly exposure report and discuss concerns with a School official or Reid's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO).
• During each exposure, operators shall stand behind a protective barrier or wear a lead apron. For portable procedures, they must stand 6 feet from the beam and wear a lead apron.
• All radiographic room doors shall be closed during the exposures.
• Only individuals required for the radiographic procedure shall be in the room.
• During exposures all shall use appropriate protective devices.
• The primary beam shall be restricted to the area of clinical interest, and no greater than the size of the image receptor used.
• When it will not adversely affect the diagnostic quality of the image, gonadal shielding shall be used on all patients of either sex.
• Any equipment malfunction, which may affect patient or operator safety, shall be immediately reported to the General Radiology Supervisor for repair.
• Students will have access to the dosimetry report within 30 days of the receipt of the report. If a student's dosimeter reading is 125 mRem or more in a calendar quarter, it will initiate a review or investigation by Reid's RSO.
• Should a student receive a letter of counseling for failure to adhere to the ALARA Policy, he/she will attend remediation in radiation safety prior to re-admittance to the clinical area.
• Students may take radiographic exposures for quality assurance or exposure lab assignments, but only under the direct supervision of technical staff or program faculty.
• Simulated exposures on the classroom's non-energized simulator equipment may be taken without supervision as this equipment does not dispense x-rays.
• Students are not required to wear their radiation dosimeters while using the non-energized classroom simulator.
• Failure to adhere to the ALARA policy may subject the student to disciplinary action, including program suspension or dismissal.