When caring for a patient undergoing radiation therapy, what is the best practice for the nurse?

When caring for a patient undergoing radiation therapy, minimizing time spent with the patient is a key best practice due to the principles of radiation safety. Nurses and other healthcare providers need to adhere to the concept of "ALARA," which stands for "As Low As Reasonably Achievable." This principle emphasizes reducing exposure to radiation for both patients and healthcare workers.

By minimizing the time spent near the patient, nurses can effectively reduce their own radiation exposure while still attending to the patient’s needs. This practice is particularly important during the period immediately following the administration of radiation therapy, when the patient's body may still be emitting radiation. Therefore, careful planning of patient care activities and maximizing the efficiency of interactions can help ensure safety.

In contrast, being with the patient all the time would increase radiation exposure unnecessarily. Using hazmat is not appropriate in this context since radiation therapy typically does not require hazardous materials handling procedures. While washing hands frequently is always a vital part of nursing practice, it is not specifically related to radiation exposure and does not address the fundamental principles of radiation safety in this scenario.