Radiation Therapy is the profession in which radiations are
directed at diseased tissues in strictly controlled circumstances to cure or
palliate the disease. The radiation therapist has considerable responsibility
in the area of patient care and must be knowledgeable regarding the psychology
of dealing with terminally ill patients and their families. As a radiation
therapist you are able to spend more time with the patient since their
treatment plan will typically take 4-6 weeks to complete. You become a part of
the patients’ treatment team and they depend on you for their care and comfort.
The radiation therapist sees and speaks with the patient each day and performs
an assessment of their condition to determine if treatment should be given or
withheld until the patient sees the physician. It is the radiation therapist
that delivers the radiation treatments.