RTH290 Clinical Training: Radiation Therapy Code of Ethics Paper

Radiation Therapist Code of Ethics

Richard Kurian
RTH290 Clinical Training
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RTH290 Clinical Training: Radiation Therapy Code of Ethics Paper
The American society of radiologic technologists has outlined fie specific codes of
ethics as it pertains to the radiation therapists! These codes are meant to "e guidelines for all
therapists #or$ing in the field! The first code% the radiation therapist adances the principal
o"&ectie of the profession to proide serices to humanity #ith full respect for the dignity of
man$ind 'A(RT% 200)*! The second code% the radiation therapist patient care and serices
unrestricted "y concerns of personal attri"utes or the nature of the disease or illness% and #ithout
discrimination on the "asis of se+% race% creed% religion and socioeconomic status 'A(RT% 200)* !
The third code% the radiation therapist assesses situations, e+ercises care% discretion and
&udgment, assumes responsi"ility for professional decisions and acts in the "est interest of the
patient 'A(RT% 200)*! The fourth code% the radiation therapist adheres to the tenets and domains
of the scope of the practice for radiation therapists 'A(RT% 200)*! The fifth and final code% the
radiation therapist actiely engages in lifelong learning to maintain% improe and enhance
professional competence and $no#ledge 'A(RT% 200)*!
The first code descri"e "y the A(RT is telling us therapist that #e hae one &o" and that
is to proide our patients #ith the "est -uality serices! These are human "eings #e.re dealing
#ith and our performance #ill hae an impact these people.s lies% so #e hae to treat our
patients to the upmost dignity and respect! To ta$e our profession seriously and anything less
than your hundred percent is unsatisfactory! /ur primary o"&ectie is to proide these patients
#ith our "est #or$ day in and day out!
The second code tells us as a radiation therapist% #e.re not allo#ed to &udge and "ase our
serices on race% creed% se+% religion or socioeconomic status! 0t is imperatie that #e proide a
fair and e-ual e+perience for eery patient that #al$s through the door! 1iscriminating against
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RTH290 Clinical Training: Radiation Therapy Code of Ethics Paper
certain people #ith personal attri"utes or nature of disease or illness is serious offense and
shouldn.t "e ta$en lightly! 0t.s our duty to proide these patients the care they desere and #e as
therapist shouldn.t do anything to compromise that!
The third code reemphasi2es the importance of our &o" and the responsi"ilities that come
#ith it! The goal here is to hae the a"ility to adapt and ma$e the right decisions in the "est
interest of the patient! 0n an emergency% you.ll hae to ad&ust to tough situations and ma$e the
right &udgment calls! As a radiation therapist% you.ll hae to understand the enironment you.re
in and in a medical enironment nothing is a gien! A lot of things can go #rong and #e.ll &ust
hae to "e prepared for it! 3e should hae the a"ility to assess any situation proactiely and
come #ith a solution that is in the "est of the patient! The patient is the oerall focus here and the
therapists are $ept accounta"le for their decisions! 4eing a professional also means ta$ing
responsi"ility for the decisions that you ma$e! The therapist sees and interacts #ith the patients
on an eeryday "asis and it.s ital that they proide the proper care for eery single patient!
The fourth code reminds us to stay #ithin the parameters of our &o"! As a radiation
therapist you are responsi"le for accurately recording% interpreting and administering the
treatment prescri"ed "y the oncologist! 3e are not to change% adice or do anything that is out of
our scope of practice! (tay #ithin the domains of our field and #or$ diligently to proide the
patient #ith the ultimate care!
The fifth and final code pertains to the commitment you hae to#ards this profession!
Eery profession out there eoles #ith time and it.s up to the professionals to $eep up #ith the
nuances that come up in the field! As radiation therapist% it.s our &o" to $eep improing and
getting "etter in #hat #e do! A therapist has to maintain the good standard of care and that is
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RTH290 Clinical Training: Radiation Therapy Code of Ethics Paper
only possi"le #ith continuing education! 0t is important that the therapist continue to learn%
engage and enhance their $no#ledge! 4eing a therapist% you.ll hae to stay committed to your
profession and sho# the initiatie to learn as the technology and the #orld around us eoles!
These radiation therapist codes of ethics are guidelines to help us perform our duties in
appropriate fashion! 3e are to understand these codes and apply them eery day as therapist!
These codes #ill remind us that #e hae an o"ligation to this &o" and our performance may
affect the patients oerall e+perience! 3e.re e+pected to "e a team mem"er eery day% proide
eery patient #ith the respect they desere% treat eery patient #ithout any internal "iases% "eing
a"le to asses any situation and ta$e the appropriate action% ma$ing sure to stay #ithin our &o"
description and actiely try to "e the "est in your profession! As a student% 0 plan on follo#ing
these codes and implementing them throughout my training! 0 plan on "eing ery attentie in
tough situations% o"sere other therapists as they handle situations% pay attention to ery detail
and practice these s$ills on my o#n! Een in the future as a therapist 0 plan on practicing these
codes and follo# them to my ma+imum capacity!
5ltimately% it.s e+tremely important to apply these codes early during clinical training
and $eep practicing them until it "ecomes a ha"it! 0n my clinical training e+perience so far% 0.e
managed to $eep these codes refreshed in my head and hae tried to enforce them eeryday 0.m
at clinical training! 4eing a"le to apply these codes during training is ital to ho# successful you
can "e as a therapist! 6or e+ample% 0 had a patient #ho insisted information a"out their
progression eeryday of their treatment% as a student 0 assured the patient that the nurse and
doctors #ill "e more than happy to ans#er all their -uestions! 0t.s al#ays important to stay
#ithin our scope of practice, 0 didn.t #ant to gie the patient any #rong or misleading
information! /ne #ay 0 $eep myself engaged is "y reading the patient.s medical history and
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RTH290 Clinical Training: Radiation Therapy Code of Ethics Paper
haing discussions #ith our doctors a"out different treatment plans! Eery day 0.m at clinical
training is a learning e+perience and 0 should ta$e full adantage of it!
4eing in the medical field nothing is predicta"le and #e need to "e prepared for anything!
5npredicta"le situations do occur and as a therapist #e hae to "e a"le to assess that information
and ta$e actions! 3e had a lung patient #ho had a ery hard time staying still during their
treatment% he $ept re7ad&usting on the ta"le and constantly moed his arm into the field of
treatment! 3e gae the patient enough time to settle do#n and #ith multiple #arnings patient
still #asn.t compliant! (omething had to "e done% so #e sat do#n #ith the patient and e+plained
the entirety of the procedure and importance him staying still! 3e too$ action and proided him
more #ash cloths on his ac7lo$ to ma$e him more comforta"le and ma$ing more of an effort to
constantly remind him ho# time he left in his treatment! The patient finally understood and
started cooperating #ith us! These are &ust some e+amples of the codes "eing applied at clinical
training! The conse-uences for not applying these codes during practice are pretty clear, your
actions could possi"ly put the patient.s life in danger% clinical site in &eopardy and ultimately
-uestioning your career as a therapist! 1uring clinical training% 0.e "een ery caution of the
enironment 0.m in and fully understand the conse-uences of me not a"iding "y these codes!
These codes might seem common sense to a lot of people "ut as a radiation therapy student 0
need "e #ell educated a"out this profession and fully understand the core alues!
6inally% 0 understand the opportunity 0.e "een gien% opportunity to learn% opportunity to
get e+perience and opportunity to fully grasp the field of radiation therapy! These core alues 0
instill no# during my practice #ill al#ays guide me through my &ourney in "ecoming a radiation
therapist!
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RTH290 Clinical Training: Radiation Therapy Code of Ethics Paper
References:
American Society of Radiologic Technologists - ASRT
0n7te+t: 'Asrt!org% 208)*
4i"liography: Asrt!org! 208)! American Society of Radiologic Technologists - ASRT! 9online:
Aaila"le at: http:;;asrt!org; 9Accessed: 8 <an 208=:!
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