MRI Safety Training

The Challenge

 MRI is an essential healthcare technology relied upon by providers to treat and diagnose serious medical conditions. Exposure to MRI equipment is not without risks to both patients and clinic staff because the magnet is always on. In particular, the magnet is extremely sensitive to metal inside the body and in the MRI testing room. Metal objects in Zone IV present potentially deadly hazards to the patient and anyone else in the environment due to the magnet’s strength, effectively pulling metal towards the machine at high velocity.

Clinic leadership has reached out to Milton Imaging’s L&D team to design an eLearning for staff at the new clinic in preparation for opening. Staff will need to know the proper protocol for preparing and screening patients for MRI testing as well as the hazards of exposure. Milton administrators expect zero incidents/accidents in the MRI suite to ensure the safety of all employees and patients.

The Process

Analysis: Milton Imaging is opening a third facility in August 2024 to serve patients seeking specialty diagnostic services. Milton Imaging has grown rapidly over the past five years, so the majority of the staff at this location (doctors, nurses, technicians, and office support) will be new hires. Administrators anticipate MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) will be one of the most utilized diagnostic services at the imaging center. MRIs are ordered by healthcare providers when patients need internal imaging. MRI technology utilizes a large magnet and radio waves to scan the body within a magnetic field and generate images of structures such as organs and bones. Milton Imaging will deploy a state-of-the-art MRI machine housed within a separate suite in the clinic using a Zone I-IV safety system.

Design: This document focuses on creating learning scenarios that will mimic real-life interactions staff will have. The content is divided into five lessons with a summative assessment at the end. The assessments are taken from the learning objectives and made to be interactive. Learners should be able to complete one or more of the following objectives:

• Explain the essential hazards of MRI exposure to the human body when metal is present.

• Identify common items patients may bring into/wear to testing.

• Distinguish the safety risks present within each zone (Zone I-IV) of the MRI suite within Milton Imaging.

• Practice asking patients questions about metal on or in their persons (clothing, health, and beauty aids, medical devices, or other personal items).

• Draw attention to Zone I-IV safety protocols using visuals and/or warnings to elicit behavior change in patients and staff.

Development:  In order to create a comprehensive training that will meet the learning objectives, the following will be developed:

• Create any necessary visuals, videos, or multimedia material for the training content

• Develop exercises and other interactive elements to be used in the training program

• Review and refine the instructional content based on feedback from stakeholders

• Conduct a pilot test of the training content, and make any necessary revisions

Implementation: This document will be turned into an eLearning course using Articulate 360. It will be given to all current and incoming staff that deal directly with the MRI machine. 

Evaluation: The content is divided into five lessons with a summative assessment at the end. The assessments are taken from the learning objectives and made to be interactive and reflect real-life scenarios.  Learner's must receive 100% to pass the course and work in the facility.