Radiation Exposure Monitoring of Operating Room and Endoscopy Nurses at a Singapore Public Hospital

Background: Healthcare workers' radiation safety during fluoroscopy-guided procedures remains a critical occupational health concern, particularly for nursing staff with intermittent exposure.With evolving healthcare practices, increasing procedural volumes, and technological advancements in fluoroscopic equipment, there is a need to evaluate whether continuous personal radiation dose monitoring is necessary for occasionally exposed nursing staff in operating rooms and endoscopy suites. Materials and Methods:A prospective observational study was conducted at a Singapore public hospital from July to December 2024.Eighty nurses from operating theatre and endoscopy departments were equipped with a personal dosimeter to record their dose exposure.A secure digital platform with QR code integration enabled immediate exposure logging via participants' mobile phones, capturing 1,512 exposure data from various procedures.Radiation doses were measured bimonthly by Singapore' s National Environment Agency.Results and Discussion: Analysis revealed significant variations in the median of total exposure time across specialties, with participants specializing in vascular having the highest median exposure (4.4 hours), followed by endoscopy (2.8 hours), urology (0.3 hours), and orthopedics (0.2 hours).Despite these variations, total effective doses remained consistently low across participants from all specialties below the study period threshold of 1 mSv.The absence of a strong correlation between exposure time and effective dose suggests the effectiveness of current radiation protection measures.Cost-benefit analysis indicated potential savings of approximately $60,000 annually through reduced subscription fees, in addition to administrative man-hour savings, which would have been required for dosimeter management and dose reporting for a cohort of 315 staff. Conclusion:This study demonstrates that occasional participation in fluoroscopy-guided procedures results in minimal radiation exposure for nursing staff, supporting the discontinuation of routine radiation monitoring while maintaining periodic reviews.The findings demonstrate that current radiation protection protocols effectively maintain exposure levels well within safety limits.