Radiation Safety and Patient Care

Which type of radiation particle is the most "heavy" and can be stopped by something as thin as a sheet of paper or the outer layer of human skin, but is highly dangerous if inhaled or ingested?

• Gamma rays
• Beta particles
• Alpha particles
• X-rays

You are dispatched to a "suspicious package" call where a radiological dispersal device (dirty bomb) is suspected. According to the Inverse Square Law of radiation, if you double your distance from the source of radiation, your exposure is:

• Reduced by half
• Reduced by one-fourth
• Reduced by one-eighth
• Eliminated completely

An unconscious patient has been removed from a scene where a liquid radioactive isotope was spilled. The patient has life-threatening arterial bleeding from the leg. What is your priority?

• Wait for a specialized HAZMAT team to fully decontaminate the patient before touching them.
• Perform a full head-to-toe assessment to look for radiation burns.
• Control the life-threatening bleeding while following standard precautions.

A patient who was exposed to a high dose of radiation several hours ago is now experiencing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. This phase of Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) is known as the:

• Latent period
• Manifest illness stage
• Prodromal stage
• Recovery stage

Match the factors of safety in a radioactive emergency to their corresponding strategy.

• Place heavy/dense objects (lead, concrete, even dirt) between you and the source.
• Distance
• Stay as far away as possible (utilize the Inverse Square Law).
• Shielding
• Spend as little time as possible near the source.
• Time