[Questionnaire Survey of Radiation Protection Education in Hospitals]

The present study aimed to investigate the current situation of radiation protection education for designated radiation workers in hospitals.

A web-based questionnaire survey was conducted at 1,883 hospitals nationwide with 200 or more beds.

Responses from 186 hospitals were included in the analysis. Seven hospitals (6.7%) regulated by the Act on the Regulation of Radioisotopes and six hospitals (7.4%) regulated by only the Ordinance on Prevention of Ionizing Radiation Hazards did not implement radiation protection education. In approximately 6% of the hospitals, designated radiation workers-including physicians, nurses, and radiological technologist-did not attend the education program. The education program attendance rate of physicians was lower than that of nurses. In more than 90% of the hospitals, the frequency of the periodical education program was once every year and lecture time spanned one or less than one hour. The topics of lecture in more than 90% of the hospitals were health effects of radiation and methods of radiation protection for occupational exposure. The radiological technologist was the instructor of the education program in approximately 70% of the hospitals.

The implementation of radiation protection for designated radiation workers varied from hospital to hospital, and some hospitals did not comply with laws and regulations. Effective and efficient radiation protection education models should be implemented in hospitals.