Radiation

At the radiation therapy rotation, I had met up with the head nurse of that unit. She had explained to me in detail just about everything I learned on my own, if not more, about distant beam radiation. She also clarified the bracytherapy procedure on different areas of the body. In some instances radiation therapy can get postponed - if the patients WBC’s are very low. This is due to the fact that the patient could develop and infection that could ultimately kill him. Therefore, radiation must be postponed to a later time - when WBC’s have increased.
There are two different types of radiation. The first one is Teletherapy, also known as Beam radiation. The second one is Bracytherapy (Bracy means to touch)-sealed and unsealed. With Beam radiation, after the patient receives treatment, he/she is not radioactive. Unsealed radiation is given IV and the patient’s excreta is radioactive for 48 hours; but with sealed, the “patient” is radioactive while the implant is in place.
Beam radiation treatment is individualized, configured and adjusted. Every patient gets radiated in a different site – even if it’s the same area, the difference can vary as much as
0.01 mm. Dosage and angle vary as well from patient to patient, thus being called pin point radiation. Other parts of the patients body is being protected with shielding, so that only needed tissue gets radiated on. Lead blocks also get made for each patient as added protection.
There are masks made out of special plastic that gets heated and adjusted according to different face shapes. These masks are made for cancer patients with Head and neck cancer, or for Brain cancer patients. They are also made for extra protection.
I had learned a lot on this day, it was an excellent oncology lesson and experience. I already considered working as a nurse in the radiation unit, after I finish nursing school. www.PassNurseExams.com