MRSO develops training to improve MRI safety at The Lister
HCA Healthcare UK’s Samuel Oliveira has been instrumental in The Lister Hospital’s imaging facilities in London gaining QSI accreditation. As an MRI safety officer (MRSO) accredited by the American Board of Magnetic Resonance Safety, imaging superintendent Oliveira identified a gap in knowledge about MRI safety, not only within his team but also the whole UK healthcare system.
While many team members had some knowledge of the dangers MRI posed, Oliveira felt that bringing consistency to the training content would ensure core knowledge around MRI safety for the wider hospital team. He began by compiling information to produce a comprehensive training document and this was the genesis of the MRI Safety eLearning tool.
MHRA guidelines state that imaging staff must comply with regular MRI safety training, so Oliveira decided to produce the tool he and his peers felt was missing. The tool was to be suitable for clinical and non-clinical teams. After a year of research and contact with MRI safety expert Dr Emanuel Kanal as well as other authorities in the field, Oliveira presented the document.
The learning and development department saw the need for this course and pharmacy services trainer Jane Whitehouse was assigned to help transfer content to an eLearning tool. After a few months of amendments, a trial version was shared with colleagues at The Lister Hospital for comment and revision.
Once the module was deemed complete, medical physics expert Mr Shahed Khan helped ratify the final draft, while imaging superintendents were given the opportunity to review the content.
On approval the tool was mapped onto the training pathway of every member of staff, clinical or non-clinical, that has access to any MRI environment in HCA Healthcare UK facilities. Finally, Whitehouse and Oliveira submitted the tool to The Society of Radiographers’ board where it received the CPD certificate of endorsement.
Picture: Imaging superintendent Samuel Oliveira.
Published on page 6 of the October 2021 issue of RAD Magazine.
