Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-20-07-.59 - TRAINING FOR USE OF MANUAL BRACHYTHERAPY SOURCES

(1) Except as provided in Rule 0400-20-07-.26, a licensee shall require an authorized user of a manual brachytherapy source for the uses authorized under Rule 0400-20-07-.51 to be a physician who:

(a) Is certified by a medical specialty board whose certification process has been recognized by the Division, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or an Agreement State, and who meets the requirements in part (b)3 of this paragraph. (The names of board certifications which have been recognized by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission or an Agreement State will be posted on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Web page.) To be recognized, a specialty board shall require all candidates for certification to:

1. Successfully complete a minimum of 3 years of residency training in a radiation oncology program approved by the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Committee on Postgraduate Training of the American Osteopathic Association; and

2. Pass an examination, administered by diplomates of the specialty board, which tests knowledge and competence in radiation safety, radionuclide handling, treatment planning, quality assurance, and clinical use of manual brachytherapy; or

(b)

1. Has completed a structured educational program in basic radionuclide handling techniques applicable to the use of manual brachytherapy sources that includes:

(i) 200 hours of classroom and laboratory training in the following areas:

(I) Radiation physics and instrumentation;

(II) Radiation protection;

(III) Mathematics pertaining to the use and measurement of radioactivity; and

(IV) Radiation biology; and

(ii) 500 hours of work experience, under the supervision of an authorized user who meets the requirements in this rule, Rule 0400-20-07-.26, or equivalent Agreement State or U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements at a medical institution, involving:

(I) Ordering, receiving, and unpacking radioactive materials safely and performing the related radiation surveys;

(II) Checking survey meters for proper operation;

(III) Preparing, implanting, and removing brachytherapy sources;

(IV) Maintaining running inventories of material on hand;

(V) Using administrative controls to prevent a misadministration involving the use of radioactive material;

(VI) Using emergency procedures to control radioactive material; and

2. Has completed 3 years of supervised clinical experience in radiation oncology, under an authorized user who meets the requirements in this rule, Rule 0400-20-07-.26, or equivalent U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission or Agreement State requirements, as part of a formal training program approved by the Residency Review Committee for Radiation Oncology of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Committee on Postdoctoral Training of the American Osteopathic Association. This experience may be obtained concurrently with the supervised work experience required by subpart 1(ii) of this subparagraph; and

3. Has obtained written attestation, signed by a preceptor authorized user who meets the requirements in this rule, Rule 0400-20-07-.26, or equivalent Agreement State or U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements, that the individual has satisfactorily completed the requirements in part (a)1, or parts (b)1 and 2 of this paragraph and has achieved a level of competency sufficient to function independently as an authorized user of manual brachytherapy sources for the medical uses authorized under Rule 0400-20-07-.51.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-20-07-.59

Original rule filed February 22, 2012; effective May 22, 2012.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 68-202-101 et seq., 68-202-201 et seq. and 4-5-201 et seq.