Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-20-07-.59

Current through June 26, 2024

Section 0400-20-07-.59 - TRAINING FOR USE OF MANUAL BRACHYTHERAPY SOURCES

(1) Except as provided in Rule 0400-20-07-.26, a licensee shall require an authorized user of a manual brachytherapy source for the uses authorized under Rule 0400-20-07-.51 to be a physician who:

(a) Is certified by a medical specialty board whose certification process has been recognized by the Division, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or an Agreement State. The names of board certifications which have been recognized by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission or an Agreement State are posted on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Medical Uses Licensee Toolkit Web page. To have its certification process recognized, a specialty board shall require all candidates for certification to:

1. Successfully complete a minimum of three years of residency training in a radiation oncology 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

2. Pass an examination, administered by diplomates of the specialty board, that tests knowledge and competence in radiation safety, radionuclide handling, treatment planning, quality assurance, and clinical use of manual brachytherapy; or

(b)

1. Has completed a structured educational program in basic radionuclide handling techniques applicable to the use of manual brachytherapy sources that includes:

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

(I) Radiation physics and instrumentation;

(II) Radiation protection;

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

(IV) Radiation biology; and

(ii) 500 hours of work experience, under the supervision of an authorized user who meets the requirements in this rule, Rule 0400-20-07-.26, or equivalent Agreement State or U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements at a medical facility authorized to use radioactive materials under Rule 0400-20-07-.51, involving:

(I) Ordering, receiving, and unpacking radioactive materials safely and performing the related radiation surveys;

(II) Checking survey meters for proper operation;

(III) Preparing, implanting, and removing brachytherapy sources;

(IV) Maintaining running inventories of material on hand;

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

(VI) Using emergency procedures to control radioactive material; and

2. Has completed three years of supervised clinical experience in radiation oncology, under an authorized user who meets the requirements in this rule, Rule 0400-20-07-.26, or equivalent Agreement State or U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 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 the 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 subpart 1(ii) of this subparagraph; and

3. Has obtained written attestation that the individual has satisfactorily completed the requirements in part (a)1 of this paragraph, or parts 1 and 2 of this subparagraph and is able to independently fulfill the radiation safety-related duties as an authorized user of manual brachytherapy sources for the medical uses authorized under Rule 0400-20-07-.51. The attestation must be obtained from either:

(i) A preceptor authorized user who meets the requirements in this rule, Rule 0400-20-07-.26, or equivalent Agreement State or U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements; or

(ii) 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 this rule, Rule 0400-20-07-.26, or equivalent Agreement State or U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements 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 parts 1 and 2 of the subparagraph.

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-20-07-.59

Original rule filed February 22, 2012; effective May 22, 2012. Amendments filed December 4, 2023; effective 3/3/2024.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-201, et seq.; 68-202-101, et seq.; and 68-202-201, et seq.