Faculty and staff attitudes towards discontinuation of routine gonadal shielding: perceptions before and after policy change in an academic medical center.

Objectives: To evaluate the perception of clinical faculty and staff on the discontinuation of routine gonadal shielding for diagnostic imaging procedures and assess the impact of targeted educational intervention on awareness and comfort levels.

Methods: A pre-post survey study was conducted among radiology and non-radiology staff involved in imaging operations at a large academic center. A pre-rollout survey (August 2023) established baseline awareness and attitudes toward gonadal shielding discontinuation, while a post-rollout survey (August 2024) reassessed these measures following policy implementation while also assessing the impact of educational outreach. The surveys included Likert-scale questions on comfort levels, policy awareness, and perceived preparedness, along with open-ended responses for qualitative analysis. Educational interventions included email communications, online FAQs, informational flyers, and live Q&A sessions. Cumulative logit models evaluated changes in responses, and subgroup analyses examined differences based on departmental affiliation and years of experience.

Results: Of 266 pre-rollout and 188 post-rollout responses, awareness of shielding discontinuation guidelines significantly increased post-rollout (26% to 75%, p < 0.0001), with radiology-affiliated staff demonstrating higher awareness than non-radiology staff (91% vs. 45%). Complete comfort with discontinuation improved significantly (28% to 49%, p < 0.0001), with radiology staff experiencing a larger shift (p = 0.045). The need for more information was the main driver of discomfort pre-rollout (49%), dropping to 26% post-rollout. However, concerns regarding pediatric and pregnant patient populations remained consistent despite educational efforts.

Conclusion: Educational and communication initiatives increased awareness and improved comfort levels for hospital staff after gonadal shielding discontinuation. Concerns remain around how to best communicate this change to patients and whether patients will accept the end of decades-long routine shielding practices.