180 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 7, § 084

Current through September 17, 2024

Section 180-7-084 - TRAINING FOR USE OF REMOTE AFTERLOADER UNITS, TELETHERAPY UNITS, AND GAMMA STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY UNITS

Other than as provided in 180 NAC 7-026, the licensee must require an authorized user of a sealed source for a use authorized under 180 NAC 7-067 to be a physician who:

(A) Is certified by a medical specialty board whose certification process has been recognized by the Department, an Agreement State or the NRC and who meets the requirements of 180 NAC 7-084(C). The names of board certifications that have been recognized the Department, an Agreement State or the NRC are posted on the NRC's Medical Uses Licensee Toolkit website. To be recognized, a specialty board must require all candidates for certification to:

(i) Successfully complete a minimum of three years of residency training in a radiation therapy program approved by the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Council on Postdoctoral Training of the American Osteopathic Association; and

(ii) Pass an examination, administered by diplomates of the specialty board, which tests knowledge and competence in radiation safety, radionuclide handling, treatment planning, quality assurance, and clinical use of stereotactic radiosurgery, remote afterloaders, and external beam therapy; or

(B) The physician has:

(i) Completed a structured educational program in basic radionuclide techniques applicable to the use of a sealed source in a therapeutic medical unit that includes:

(1) 200 hours of classroom and laboratory training in the following areas:

(a) Radiation physics and instrumentation;

(b) Radiation protection;

(c) Mathematics pertaining to the use and measurement of radioactivity; and

(d) Radiation biology; and

(2) 500 hours of work experience, under the supervision of an authorized user who meets the requirements in 180 NAC 7-026, 7-084 or equivalent NRC or Agreement State requirements at a medical facility that is authorized to use radioactive materials in 180 NAC 7-067, involving:

(a) Reviewing full calibration measurements and periodic spot-checks;

(b) Preparing treatment plans and calculating treatment doses and times;

(c) Using administrative controls to prevent a misadministration involving the use of radioactive material;

(d) Implementing emergency procedures to be followed in the event of the abnormal operation of the medical unit or console;

(e) Checking and using survey meters; and

(f) electing the proper dose and how it is to be administered;

(ii) Completed three years of supervised clinical experience in radiation therapy, under an authorized user who meets the requirements in 180 NAC 7-026, 7-084, or equivalent Agreement State or NRC requirements, as part of a formal training program approved by the Residency Review Committee for Radiation Oncology of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Council on Postdoctoral Training of the American Osteopathic Association. This experience may be obtained concurrently with the supervised work experience required by 180 NAC 7-084(B)(i)(2); and

(iii) Obtained written attestation that the individual has satisfactorily completed the requirements in 180 NAC 7-084 (B)(i) and (ii) and 7-087.03; and is able to independently fulfill the radiation safety-related duties as an authorized user of each type of therapeutic medical unit for which the individual is requesting authorized user status. The attestation must be obtained from either:

(1) A preceptor authorized user who meets the requirements in 180 NAC 7-026, 7-084, or equivalent NRC or Agreement State requirements, for the type or types of therapeutic medical unit for which the individual is requesting authorized user status; or

(2) A residency program director who affirms in writing that the attestation represents the consensus of the residency program faculty where at least one faculty member is an authorized user who meets the requirements in 180 NAC 7-026, 7-084, or equivalent NRC or Agreement State requirements, for the type or types of therapeutic medical unit for which the individual is requesting authorized user status, and concurs with the attestation provided by the residency program director. The residency training program must be approved by the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Council on Postdoctoral Training of the American Osteopathic Association and must include training and experience specified in 180 NAC 7-084(B)(i) and (ii); and

(C) Has received training in device operation, safety procedures, and clinical use of the type or types of use for which authorization is sought. This training requirement may be satisfied by satisfactory completion of a training program provided by the vendor for new users or by receiving training supervised by an authorized user or authorized medical physicist, as appropriate, who is authorized for the type or types of use for which the individual is seeking authorization.

180 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 7, § 084

Amended effective 11/3/2020

Amended effective 6/14/2023