During an afternoon clinic, staff realize a patient received a radiopharmaceutical ordered for another patient. The activity matched the order exactly, the images are complete, and the authorized user is available. The dose to the unintended patient exceeded 0.05 Sv effective dose equivalent. Which reporting requirement applies to this misadministration?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
When the wrong patient receives a dose above the threshold, it’s a medical event—like a warning light, even if the activity matched the order. You must notify the NRC by telephone no later than the next calendar day and submit a written report within 15 days.
Full Explanation
Under NRC regulations, a dose to the wrong individual is a medical event when it exceeds the applicable dose threshold, including 0.05 Sv (5 rem) effective dose equivalent. In this scenario, the threshold is exceeded, so the licensee must notify the NRC Operations Center by telephone no later than the next calendar day after discovery and submit a written report within 15 days. The written report includes information such as the radiopharmaceutical, activity, route, patient description, probable cause, and corrective actions. Patient and ordering-clinician notification and internal documentation do not replace regulatory reporting. The activity matching the other patient's order does not eliminate the reporting requirement.