OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROCEDURES AND DOSES AMONG NURSES IN SOUTH KOREA

Abstract

This study investigated occupational radiation procedures and radiation exposures among nurses in South Korea. A total of 530 nurses were surveyed from 2012 to 2013, and the survey data were linked with the dosimetry data. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with radiation dose. The most frequent procedure performed by the nurses was interventional radiology, followed by fluoroscopy and routine X-ray. The average annual effective dose and the cumulative dose were 0.91 mSv and 4.66 mSv, respectively. Characteristics of nurses exposed to high radiation doses were male, completed graduate school or higher, first worked before 2000 and performing interventional procedures, nuclear medicine test and fluoroscopy. Performing nuclear medicine tests and interventional procedures had a significant positive association with high radiation exposure.