Radiation protection measures for nurses working in interventional cardiology

General Medicine, 2025, 27(4), 21-27.

T. Popova

Department of Health Care, Faculty of Public Health „Prof. Tzecomir Vodenitcharov, MD, DSc”, MU – Sofia

Abstract. The presented research aims to study and analyze the measures for the prevention of the impact of ionizing radiation among nurses working in the field of interventional cardiology. To achieve the set goal, a sociological method was applied, and a direct individual anonymous survey was conducted among 81 nurses working in the field of interventional cardiology. The study was conducted on the territory of 8 medical institutions. Statistical data processing and graphical presentation of the results were done using MS Excel 2017. In the processing and analysis of the data, a documentary method was used – the literary sources on the researched issue were studied, and the method of graphical data analysis was applied. The main means used for individual radiation protection by nurses are radiationprotective aprons and collars, which are in line with the current legislation. There is a need to raise awareness about their equivalent of protection. Wearing radiation-protective glasses and the possible negative impact of ionizing radiation on the eye is an underestimated problem by nurses, which entails an unjustified risk to eye health. There is a need for continuous monitoring and updating of the nurse knowledge about the need to conduct reliable dosimetric control in order to prevent their health condition. One in five of the surveyed respondents does not trust dosimetric control, does not wear a dosimeter or wears one only when long radiation exposure is expected.

Key words: radiation safety, prevention, interventional cardiology

Address for correspondence: Tanya Popova, MD, ORCID: 0000-0002-0008-1192, e-mail: t.popova@foz.mu-sofia.bg