Radiation Therapy & Safety RADT 6102

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Describe the characteristics of a health care professional and demonstrate an understanding of patient-centred and holistic care.
• Explain the importance of ethical and professional behaviour towards patients, families, and members of the health care team.
• Outline the CAMRT Code of Ethics and describe how it guides professional conduct.
• Explain the legal and ethical principles of informed consent.
• Compare the main cancer treatment modalities – surgery, targeted therapies, and radiation therapy- and outline the clinical principles that inform their use.
• Describe the natural history of malignancy, recognize key prognostic factors, and explain the purpose of clinical trials in cancer care.
• Identify core radiation safety concepts and describe the basic regulatory expectations of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).
• Perform an immobilization mask construction following the appropriate steps and continuously communicating with the simulated patient and treatment partner.
• Perform peripheral IV insertion in a simulation environment while adhering to best practice guidelines and infection control.
• Perform 3-point radiation therapy set-ups for basic techniques, pelvis, thorax, head and neck, brain and breast treatment in accordance to in-room set-up instructions including straightening and leveling the simulated patient and employing proper body mechanics.
• Identify relevant anatomy on radiograph images including CT, CBCT and x-ray image sets.
• Identify strategies for immobilization mask fitting and managing claustrophobic patients.
• Perform virtual electron apposition set-ups by assessing the size and slope of the treatment field and adjusting the treatment machine parameters for apposition technique.
• Identify and describe the patient position, beam arrangements and dose distributions for breast, pelvis, thorax, head and neck and CNS radiation therapy treatments.
• Discuss the standards & methods of control for drugs with potential for abuse.
• Describe the physiologic processes involved in drug absorption, distribution, metabolism & excretion.
• Recognize & respond to adverse drug reactions.
• Define the difference between side effects & adverse reactions of a drug.
• Describe the effects of pharmacologic agents as they relate to therapeutic procedures; specifically, analgesic, anesthetic, antianxiety, antidiabetic, antidiarrheal & antiemetic agents.​
• Describe the preparation of pharmaceutical agents.
• Assist with the administration of pharmaceuticals within our professional scope of practice
• Identify drug and contrast media classifications.

Effective as of Fall 2026