Malaysian Nurses’ Knowledge of Radiation Protection: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Radiology is a vital diagnostic tool for multiple disorders that plays an essential role in the healthcare sector. Nurses are majorly involved in a healthcare setting by accompanying patients during the examination. Thus, nurses tend to be exposed during inward X-ray examination, requiring them to keep up with radiation use safety. However, nurses’ competence in radiation is still a concept that has not been well studied in Malaysia. The study aimed to define the level of usage understanding and radiation protection among Malaysian nurses. In this research, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 395 nurses working in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare sectors in Malaysia. The survey is based on the developed Healthcare Professional Knowledge of Radiation Protection (HPKRP) scale, distributed via the online Google Forms. SPSS version 25.0 (IBM Corporation) was used to analyze the data in this study. Malaysian nurses reported the highest knowledge level in radiation protection with a mean of 6.03 ± 2.59. The second highest is safe ionizing radiation guidelines with 5.83 ± 2.77, but low knowledge levels in radiation physics and radiation usage principle (4.69 ± 2.49). Therefore, healthcare facilities should strengthen the training standards for all nurses working with or exposed to radiation.

Awareness of Radiation Protection among Undergraduate Nursing Students

“…Being aware of warning signs in radiation protection and following guidance strictly according to the Radiology department is crucial for the nursing students during their clinical appointments to minimize radiation exposure. The lack of awareness of these leading theories has been identified around the world (8)(9)(10)23).…”

“…Despite their great diagnostic utility, exposure to X-rays has been linked to a number of dose-dependent health problems such as cancer and genetic effect. Therefore, awareness among health professionals of the impact of X-ray imaging is crucial (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10).…”

“…Any professional assigned to work in a radiology department should have adequate awareness on radiation (8,(10)(11)(12)16,17). Distinctive professional groups such as doctor, radiographer, and nurses often involve preceding a successful radiology examination.…”

“…Nurses play an essential role in the healthcare sector because they accompany patients the majority of the time. Nurses work in clinical settings that use ionizing radiation, such as radiology departments, intensive care units, and operating rooms (4,8,9,16,17). Furthermore, there may be a risk of exposure to radiation during their word work by inward x-ray imaging.…”

“…Several studies have been conducted in the past to assess nurses' awareness of ionizing radiation. Some previous research has found that nurses who work with radiation had an overall inadequate level of knowledge on radiation (1,2,4,(6)(7)(8)(10)(11)(12)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22).…”