Radiopharmacy —
Training activity: 10

Details

Order, receive, store and dispatch radiopharmaceuticals

Type

Entrustable training activity (ETA)

Evidence requirements

Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee repeatedly, consistently, and effectively over time, in a range of situations. This may include occasions where the trainee has not successfully achieved the outcome of the activity themselves. For example, because it was not appropriate to undertake the task in the circumstances or the trainees recognised their own limitations and sought help or advice to ensure the activity reached an appropriate conclusion. ​

Reflection at multiple timepoints on the trainee learning journey for this activity.

Considerations

• National legislation and guidance
• Unit SOPs
• Local rules
• Local permits
• Calculation of the required activity
• Storage of radioactive materials and pharmaceutical kits
• Documentation
• Safe handling of radioactive materials
• Security of radioactive materials
• Organisational and financial aspects of a commercial radiopharmacy
• Calculation of the transport index
• Standards for the transport of radioactive materials
• Design, type testing and types of packaging

Reflective practice guidance

The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.

Before action

• What does success look like for ordering, receiving, storing, and dispatching radiopharmaceuticals?
  • What are the precise requirements for accurate ordering, safe and compliant receipt, appropriate storage conditions (e.g., temperature, shielding, security), and correct dispatch procedures, as per your local SOPs and relevant legislation?
  • Discuss with your Training Officer to gain clarity of what is expected of you. What specific aspects of documentation, handling of radioactive materials, adherence to regulatory requirements (e.g., radiation protection), and ensuring product integrity throughout these processes should you focus on?
• What is your prior experience of ordering, receiving, storing, and dispatching radiopharmaceuticals?
  • Have you observed these processes, or participated in any of these steps (e.g., checking a delivery, logging stock, preparing for dispatch)?
  • What difficulties might arise with incomplete orders, damaged shipments, temperature excursions during storage, or incorrect dispatch information? How would you plan to address these?
  • When would you need to seek advice or help regarding discrepancies in orders, spills during receipt, unexpected storage issues, or complex dispatch logistics? From whom would you seek this advice?
  • How do you feel about managing the entire process of ensuring compliance and safety for radiopharmaceuticals?
• Consider the specific skills you want to develop. Are you aiming to improve your attention to detail in documentation, your understanding of radiation safety during handling, or your ability to manage inventory effectively?
  • Identify the specific insights you hope to gain from engaging with the activity.
  • What new understanding do you seek regarding the regulatory framework governing radiopharmaceutical supply, or the impact of efficient ordering and dispatch on patient care?
• What additional considerations do you need to make before ordering, receiving, storing, and dispatching radiopharmaceuticals?
  • Have you identified any areas for improvement from previous observations or partial involvements in these processes that you need to consciously apply now?
  • Do you need to review supplier agreements, local receipt logs, storage guidelines, or dispatch manifests before starting?
  • Are there any specific radiation protection measures to consider before handling these materials?

In action

• Are you noticing anything surprising or different from what you anticipate during the process of ordering, receiving, storing, or dispatching radiopharmaceuticals?
  • Are you encountering situations such as:
    • A discrepancy in an order
    • Damage to a package upon receipt
    • An unexpected temperature excursion during storage
    • A last-minute change in dispatch requirements
  • How does this experience compare with previous observations or partial involvements in similar logistical activities? Is the issue familiar, or is it a novel challenge?
• How is any unexpected development being resolved as you progress during the activity?
  • How are you working within your scope of practice?
  • Do you recognise when to handle an issue yourself and when to escalate or seek advice regarding discrepancies, safety concerns, or regulatory compliance?
  • What are you learning in this moment as a result of the unexpected development? For example, what new understanding are you gaining regarding the critical steps for ensuring product integrity, safety, and regulatory adherence throughout the ordering, receiving, storage, and dispatch process?
• How is this impacting your actions? For instance, are you immediately quarantining a damaged shipment, consulting the relevant SOP for temperature excursions, or communicating with the supplier/recipient?
  • Are you adapting or changing your approach to ensure compliance with quality management systems and safety protocols? Are you communicating with the supplier or recipient?
  • How are you feeling in this moment? For example, do you find it difficult to adapt to the unexpected issue, or does it affect your confidence to manage the process?
  • Are you feeling confident in your ability to resolve the issue safely and compliantly?

On action

• Summarise the key points of the ordering, receiving, storage, or dispatch process.
  • Include specific events, actions, or interactions that felt important, such as processing an urgent order, the physical receipt of a shipment, handling storage conditions, or preparing for dispatch.
  • What ‘reflect-in-action’ moments did you experience? These are instances where you adapted to the situation as it unfolded, for example, if there was a discrepancy in a delivery, damage to packaging, an unexpected temperature excursion during storage, or a last-minute change in dispatch requirements.
• Identify what learning you can take from the experience.
  • What strengths did you demonstrate during the activity (e.g., meticulous checking upon receipt, efficient storage, accurate documentation)?
  • What skills and/or knowledge gaps were evident, particularly concerning the application of pharmaceutical quality management systems or ensuring the continuity of supply for preparation sessions?
  • Were any previously identified actions for development achieved? Has your practice improved in areas like adherence to SOPs for receiving, monitoring storage conditions, or accuracy of dispatch documentation?
  • Identify any challenges you experienced and how you reacted to these. Did these challenges affect your ability to deal with the situation independently? Were you able to overcome them, for instance, by promptly initiating a deviation report for an out-of-specification delivery or by finding alternative solutions for a dispatch delay?
  • Did you need to seek advice or clarification regarding regulatory compliance, a significant discrepancy, or a complex storage requirement? Or did you need to escalate a situation to ensure product integrity and safety, especially in line with quality management systems?
  • Do you feel more confident in managing the radiopharmaceutical supply chain, or are there areas where you realise you need further development, such as specific regulatory requirements for certain radiopharmaceuticals?
• Identify the actions / ‘next steps’ you will now take to support the assimilation of what you have learnt, including from any feedback you have received.
  • What will you do differently next time you order, receive, store, or dispatch radiopharmaceuticals, particularly regarding managing discrepancies, maintaining product integrity, or ensuring compliance with quality management systems?
  • Has anything changed in terms of what you would do if you were faced with a similar situation again, perhaps a specific type of delivery issue or a storage challenge?
  • Do you need to practise any aspect of the activity further to gain more confidence or proficiency, such as conducting thorough receipt checks or managing temperature-sensitive products?

Beyond action

• Have you revisited the experiences of ordering, receiving, storing, and dispatching radiopharmaceuticals?
  • Have you reviewed your actions from your previous reflections for this activity? Specifically, have you looked back at areas such as ensuring accurate ordering to meet demand, meticulously checking incoming deliveries for discrepancies or damage, maintaining proper storage conditions (e.g., temperature monitoring, security), or ensuring correct and timely dispatch procedures? What actions did you identify you would need to take to improve your practice in these areas?
  • Have you completed these actions? Are you now ready to demonstrate this new learning into practice, particularly regarding your adherence to pharmaceutical quality management systems (PQS) and ensuring the integrity and continuity of the radiopharmaceutical supply chain?
  • Consider if your view of managing inventory, handling discrepancies, addressing storage challenges, or ensuring regulatory compliance for radiopharmaceuticals has changed because of analysing this with others.
• How have these combined experiences impacted upon your current practice in managing the radiopharmaceutical supply chain?
  • Consider how the learning from all your ordering, receiving, storage, and dispatch experiences will support you in preparing for the observed ‘in-person’ assessments for this module.
  • Consider how your practice has developed and evolved over time in terms of managing radiopharmaceutical logistics, including your understanding of quality management systems and your ability to mitigate risks associated with product integrity and patient safety.
  • Do you now more readily recognise when something is beyond your scope of practice, requiring consultation or escalation, especially concerning significant supply chain disruptions, regulatory non-compliance, or issues that could compromise product quality?

Relevant learning outcomes

#	Outcome
# 2	Outcome Plan and manage preparation sessions for a range of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.
# 5	Outcome Evaluate and apply pharmaceutical quality management systems.