N.J. Admin. Code § 8:43G-28.14

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 8:43G-28.14 - Radiation oncology services staff time and availability

(a) During regular hours, a radiation oncologist shall be physically on site when patients are receiving radiation treatments, except for routine absences of a short duration (such as during a lunch break, local tumor board meeting, or institutional committee meeting) or for brief unexpected absences. Such absences shall not constitute more than 10 percent of the time that patients are under treatment. On site shall include the radiation oncology facility or radiation oncology facility campus.

(b) After the radiation oncology facility is closed a radiation oncologist shall be available for telephone consultation within one hour of being summoned and be available to evaluate and treat the patient within four hours of being summoned for radiation oncologic emergencies.

(c) There shall be at least one licensed radiation (therapy technologist) therapist or radiation oncologist present to operate each cobalt machine when it is in use.

(d) There shall be at least two radiation therapists present to operate each linear accelerator when it is in use except under emergency conditions. A radiation oncologist may act as a substitute for one of the two therapists.

(e) A radiation physicist shall be available to the radiation oncology service on a full or part-time basis. Multiple unit programs shall have a minimum of one full-time equivalent physicist on site. A radiation physicist must supervise all treatment calculations other than emergencies.

(f) A registered professional nurse shall be available on-site on a full or part-time basis to the radiation oncology unit. In the case of multiple megavoltage radiation oncology unit programs, a minimum of one full-time equivalent registered professional nurse is required.

(g) A professional member of the social work department shall be available on a full or part-time basis to the radiation oncology unit to meet the psychosocial needs of radiation oncology patients and families.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:43G-28.14

Amended by R.1999 d.436, effective 12/20/1999.
See: 31 New Jersey Register 367(a), 31 New Jersey Register 614(a), 31 New Jersey Register 4293(c).
Rewrote the section.