Practice and Level of Compliance with Radiation Protection Among Radiologic Technologists in Selected Private Hospitals in Laguna

Radiation protection is essential to ensuring the safety of patients and healthcare professionals during diagnostic imaging. Although radiation safety standards have been widely established, variations in the practice of radiation protection and compliance with these standards continue to be observed among radiologic technologists, reflecting inconsistencies in the implementation of radiation safety measures across clinical settings. This study aimed to determine the practice of radiation protection and level of compliance among radiologic technologists in six selected private hospitals in Laguna, examine their relationship, and identify differences according to years of service. This study employed a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design. A total of 58 licensed radiologic technologists from six selected private hospitals in Laguna participated in the study using a validated self-made questionnaire with a 4-point Likert scale. The instrument underwent expert validation, pilot testing, and reliability analysis, yielding Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.84 for the Practice of Radiation Protection scale and 0.92 for the Compliance with Radiation Protection scale, indicating good and excellent internal consistency, respectively. Data were analyzed using frequency and percentage distribution, weighted mean, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Pearson’s correlation coefficient at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents had 2–4 years of service. The overall weighted mean for the practice of radiation protection was 3.63, interpreted as “Highly Practiced”, while the overall weighted mean for compliance with radiation protection was 3.28, interpreted as “Very High”. No significant differences were found in the respondents’ practice and compliance when grouped according to years of service. However, a significant positive relationship was observed between practice and compliance. The study concluded that radiologic technologists in the six selected private hospitals in Laguna demonstrated highly practiced radiation protection measures and a very high level of compliance with radiation safety protocols. Although years of service did not significantly influence these outcomes, higher compliance was significantly associated with more consistent radiation protection practices, highlighting the importance of continuous education, institutional support, and adherence to established radiation safety standards.