2010 Catalog - Delaware County Community College

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS 155
• With assistance, demonstrate familiarity with the
treatment chart and accurately record data.
• Observe and assist in all treatment procedures taking
place in your assigned area.
• With assistance, take weekly port films, review the port
films and submit them for physician approval.
Coreq. RAD 100, 115
3 Credits 16 Weekly Laboratory Hours
RAD 110 Radiation Therapy
Techniques & Applications
This course is designed to provide an overview of cancer
and the specialty of radiation therapy. The medical, biological,
and pathological aspect as well as the physical and
technical aspects will be discussed. Also epidemiology,
etiology, detection, diagnosis, patient condition, treatment
and prognosis of neoplastic disease will be addressed
also. The radiation therapist's role in treatment delivery
will also be discussed.
Upon successful completion of this course, students
should be able to:
• Discuss tumor histology and site, clinical presentation,
epidemiologic and etiologic information in relation to
each specific neoplastic disease and treatment method.
• Describe historical treatment methods in radiation
therapy as well as the role of surgery, radiation and
medical oncology and current treatment methods in the
management of neoplastic disease.
• Discuss factors taken into consideration prior to
radiation treatment.
• Explain detection, diagnosis, grading and staging
systems for each neoplastic site.
• Implement the principles and practice of simulation to
prepare a patient for treatment.
• Examine the role of radiation therapy in palliative disease
management, oncology emergencies, treatment regimens
and fractionalization schemes.
• Compare treatment prescription vs treatment plan and
portal images vs simulation images.
• Demonstrate ability to perform mathematical calculations.
Coreq. RAD 100, 105
4 Credits 4 Weekly Lecture Hours
RAD 115 Oncologic Patient Care &
Ethical/Legal Issues
This course is designed to provide the student with
foundation concepts and competencies in assessment and
evaluation of the patient for service delivery of the cancer
patient. Psychological and physical needs and factors
affecting treatment outcome will be presented and examined.
Routine and emergency care procedures will be presented.
Upon successful completion of this course, students
should be able to:
• Apply the Radiation Therapist Scope of Practice & Code
of Ethics to clinical practice, differentiate the roles and
responsibilities of the health care team and demonstrate
applications of professional self care.
• Explain the Patient's Care Partnership, provide
appropriate patient education materials for medical
procedures, nutrition and assessment needs.
• Explain the dynamics of communicating with the cancer
patient and family, and to be able to answer questions
as well as identify factors that influence emotional
responses as well as psychological aspects of dying.
• Assess the condition of the patient before, during and
after treatment and procedures.
• Demonstrate principles of health and radiation safety
and what to do in the event of an emergency.
• Define principles of medication, conventional and
alternative medicine, ability to recognize common
medications for their actions, side effects and
adverse reactions.
• Recognize radiation side effects and complications and
be able to use proper body mechanics with all patients.
• Define and discuss ethical and legal issues in radiation
therapy.
PREREQUISITES/CO-REQUISITES: Acceptance into the
Radiation Therapy program and RAD 105
3 Credits 3 Weekly Lecture Hours
RAD 120
Pathology
This course is designed to give students an overview
of general pathology. General pathology introduces
basic disease concepts, theories of disease causation
and system-by-system pathophysiologic disorders
most frequently encountered in clinical practice.
Upon successful completion of this course, students
should be able to:
• Define and describe terminology and general principles
used in the study of disease including neoplasms
• Differentiate and describe types of cellular and tissue
injury, physiological response and healing
• Describe fluid and electrolyte balance disorders
• Identify the relationship between morphologic and
functional changes to the origins of signs and
symptoms and to their clinical significance.
• Describe the common etiology, signs and symptoms,
diagnostic tests, typical course and management of the
common diseases and disorders of body systems and
the effects of aging on those body systems
• Identify etiologic and epidemiological influences in the
identification, prevention and treatment of common
diseases and pathophysiological disorders
• Define the role of genetics and nutrition in
pathophysiologic disorders
Co-requisite: Acceptance into the Radiation Therapy
Program
2 Credits 2 Weekly Lecture Hours
RAD 125
Radiobiology and Safety
This course is designed to present basic concepts and
principles of radiobiology and radiation safety. Radiation
interactions, theories and principles will be addressed.
Radiation health and safety requirements of regulatory
and accrediting agencies will also be addressed. Specific
responsibilities of the radiation therapist are discussed as well.
Upon successful completion of this course, students
should be able to:
• Differentiate and distinguish between radiation exposure
effects, dose equivalence, absorbed dose and radioactivity
• Define and discuss radiation principles, responsibilities
of radiation personnel and use of proper terminology in
relation to radiation protection
• Explain procedures to ship and receive radioactive materials,
record keeping systems, and explanation of radiation
detection devices
• Determine the difference between state and national
regulatory agencies, and define methods of personnel
monitoring and exposure limits for occupational and
non-occupational individuals
• Calculate exposure doses and be able to develop an
emergency plan for equipment failure
• Integrate laws, principles and theories of radiation
biology into the clinical practice of radiation therapy
• Describe factors, events and effects of radiation exposure
• Demonstrate understanding of the concepts and
clinically significant factors of radiation
• Describe the interactions, responses and syndromes
related to radiation exposure
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Radiation Therapy
Program
2 Credits 2 Weekly Lecture Hours
RAD 130
Radiation Therapy Physics
This course is designed to review and expand on the
concepts and theories reviewed in radiation physics from
a Radiologic Technology program or Radiation Physics
course. Detailed analysis of the structure of matter,
properties of radiation, nuclear transformations, x-ray
production and interactions of ionizing radiation are
emphasized. Also presented are treatment units used in
radiation therapy, measurement and quality of ionizing
radiation produced, absorbed dose measurement, dose
distribution and scatter analysis.
Upon successful completion of this course, students
should be able to:
• Define and describe radiation therapy physics related
concepts, factors, theories and practices
• Demonstrate ability to perform various mathematical
calculations
• Define and describe radionuclide's, reactions, and
characteristics of radiation beams
• Define and describe radiation therapy and physics related
equipment and characteristics
• Explain the purpose and importance of radiation therapy
physics organizations (ex. NIST & ADCL)
3 Credits 3 Weekly Lecture Hours
RAD 135 Quality Management in
Radiation Therapy
This course is designed to give students a comprehensive
overview of quality management (QM) programs and
continuing quality improvements in radiation oncology.
A quality management program is a set of policies and
procedures to maintain the quality of patient care. Topics
will include: the need for quality management (QM)
checks, the types of evaluations and tests performed on
radiation therapy equipment, the role of the radiation
therapist in the QM process, legal and regulatory
implications for maint-aining appropriate QM guidelines as
well as the role of computers and information systems in
the radiation oncology department.
Upon successful completion of this course, students
should be able to:
• Differentiate and discuss the components of quality
management programs, the members role on the team
and outcomes of a quality management program
• Identify errors in treatment documentation and examine
the patient's chart in terms of medical and legal issues
• Explain and evaluate the outcomes, purpose, procedures,
frequency, and equipment for all QM procedures and
how it impacts patient care, education, and research
• Differentiate between safe and hazardous equipment
operation, sources of malfunction and acceptable limits
for treatment operation
• Determine the importance of proper patient education,
identification and communication in regards to Quality
Management
Co-Requisite: Acceptance into the Radiation Therapy
Program.
1 Credit 1 Weekly Lecture Hours
RAD 140 Radiation Therapy
Treatment Planning
This course is designed to establish factors that influence
and govern clinical planning of patient treatment.
Encompassed are isodose descriptions, patient contouring,
radiobiologic considerations, dosimetric calculations,
compensation and clinical application of treatment beams.
Upon successful completion of this course, students
should be able to:
• Define and describe the characteristics of a radiation
beam, factors that effect it, and beam geometry
• Define and describe the various methods of treatment
delivery and what considerations are necessary
• Demonstrate the ability to perform various mathematical
calculations pertinent to radiation therapy