Training & Certification
Patient education materials
Patient and caregiver materials are part of the regulated workflow under NRC Regulatory Guide 8.39 release-of-patient instructions. Generic RLT handouts are not adequate — Ac-225 instructions need their own version-controlled document set.
Minimum requirements
A complete patient-education packet typically includes:
Pre-treatment
- What the therapy is, in plain language (~8th-grade reading level)
- What to expect on the day of administration
- Hydration and medication guidance
- Consent document referencing the written directive
Post-administration
- Restroom use, hand-washing, and household contact precautions
- Duration of precautions, with a specific end date
- Symptoms warranting a call to the clinic vs. ER
- After-hours contact number
Caregiver-specific
- Pregnancy and pediatric contact restrictions
- Laundry, bedding, and dish handling guidance
- What to do if the patient vomits or has incontinence at home
- Plain-language explanation of why alpha differs from prior beta therapy (if applicable)
Tip
Version-control every patient handout the same way you version procedures: footer with document ID, revision number, and effective date. Inspectors check that the version handed to the patient matches the version in the controlled-document system.
References
- NRC Regulatory Guide 8.39 — Release of Patients Administered Radioactive Material
- 10 CFR §35.75 — Release of individuals containing unsealed byproduct material