[The Importance of Continuous Radiation Education for Nurses]

Nurses are frequently involved in radiologic imaging procedures; however, opportunities to learn about radiology in clinical practice are limited. This study aimed to assess the current level of radiology-related knowledge among newly hired nurses at Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital (hereafter referred to as our hospital) and to clarify the need for radiology education.

A questionnaire survey was conducted among 77 nurses who started working at our hospital in April 2022. The survey included items related to radiology education, knowledge of radiation exposure, and interest in working in radiology departments.

Although 58.4% of respondents had attended radiation-related classes during their studies, 93.5% were unable to distinguish between radioactivity and radiation. Misunderstandings were also observed regarding the safe distance required during portable X-ray imaging and the hereditary effects of radiation exposure. In contrast, 62.3% of the nurses expressed interest in working in radiology departments in the future.

Newly hired nurses surveyed in this study demonstrated insufficient fundamental knowledge and several misconceptions regarding radiology, yet showed interest in working in radiology, highlighting the need for structured educational programs.