Assessment of knowledge, availability, and practice of interventional radiation safety among nurses in the cardiac unit

Nurses are regarded as the backbone of healthcare services due to their critical role in delivering patient care across healthcare institutions. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, availability, and practices related to interventional radiation safety among nurses working in cardiac units in Jordan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a 30-item structured questionnaire distributed via a Google Form to nurses in cardiac units. Multiple logistic regression to identify significant predictors of good interventional radiation knowledge. A total of 145 respondents took part, with a mean age of 34.8 (SD = 8.20). The females make up 46.2 % and males 53.8 %. Over half of the respondents indicated either never using the ionizing machine (28.3 %) or using it daily (29.0 %) and agreed that its use is necessary (53.8 %). Only 17.2 % correctly identified the annual normal background radiation exposure. Most participants reported that sufficient protective equipment is available for use with such machinery (66.9 %). In addition, increasing age (AOR = 11.1, p-value = 0.006), having a master's degree (AOR = 4.11, p-value = 0.036), and having more than 10 years of work experience (AOR = 3.67, p-value = 0.036) significantly predict basic knowledge of radiation exposure and usage. The participants in the study have a low basic knowledge of radiation exposure and usage. Nurses should be more educated on frequently overlooked safety procedures and kept up to date on the latest developments through the implementation of annual recertification courses.