Radiography for Nurses Course
The radiography course for nurses will lead to the formal qualification in Dental Nurse Radiography. Course fees are £475 to include the examination fee.
Aims and objectives
To enable qualified Dental Nurses to be confident operators of dental X-ray equipment in the dental practice.
To equip DSAs with the theoretical core of knowledge and the practical skills required to undertake radiographic examinations.
To fulfil an extended role in the care of the patient within the general dental practice.
Core of knowledge for persons directing medical exposures
Nature of ionising radiation and its interaction with tissue
Genetic and somatic effects of ionising radiation and how to assess their risks
The ranges of radiation dose that are given to a patient with a particular procedure, the principles factors which affect the dose and the methods of measuring such dosage.
The principles of equality assurance and quality control applied to both equipment and techniques
The principles of dose limitation and the various means of dose reduction to the patient including protection of the gonads
The specific requirements of women who are pregnant and also children
The organisational arrangements for advice on radiation protection and how to deal with a suspected case of overexposure
Statutory responsibilities
Additional knowledge for those clinically directing medical exposure
In respect of the individual diagnostic and therapeutic procedures which the person intends to use, the clinical value of those procedures in relation to other available techniques used for the same or similar purposes.
The importance of utilising existing radiological information – films and/or reports about a patient
Lecture programme
All courses start at 2.30pm and finish at 7.00 a light snack will be provided at 4.30.
Day 1
- Requirements
- Assessments
- Structure of Atom
- Structure of x-ray tube
- Production of x-rays
- Principles of exposure selection
Day 2
- Practical session, the centre has an intra oral set and a Panoral set so that all training will take place at the centre
Day 3
- Principles of image formation
- Structure of film
- Structures of intensifying screens
- Bitewing techniques
- Periapical techniques
- OPG techniques
- Care of patient
- Viewing radiographs
Day 4
- Intral-oral techniques
- OPG’s – taking and faults
- Viewing films with positioning errors and film faults
- Formation of the latent image
- Processing faults
- COSHH regulations
- Biological effects of radiation
- Principles of radiation protection
- Ionising radiation regulations
- Local rules
- Equipment requirements
- Radiation dosimetry
- Lead projection
- Personnel monitoring
Day 5
- Quality control
- Quality assurance
- Quality audit
- X-ray equipment - check safety
- Processing
- Audit
- Digital imaging techniques
- Reinforcing important theoretical knowledge
- Revision of anything found difficult
- Reinforcing radiation protection
- Problems encountered in practical training
