Assessment of Radiation Protection Practices Among Radiographers at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, North West Nigeria

Radiation protection practices are fundamental to the safety of radiographers, patients, and the public, and adherence to established safety standards is a professional and regulatory obligation under Nigerian atomic energy legislation. At Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano State, the practical implementation of radiation protection measures by practising radiographers warrants systematic evaluation. This study assesses the knowledge and practice of radiation protection among radiographers at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. A descriptive cross-sectional design is employed, with a validated structured questionnaire administered to 78 radiographers and radiography technologists in the department of radiology. The questionnaire measures knowledge of ALARA principles, personal dosimeter usage compliance, use of lead aprons and gonadal shielding, patient collimation practices, and awareness of dose reference levels. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation are computed in SPSS. Existing literature from North West Nigerian radiology departments identifies inconsistent dosimeter usage, infrequent gonadal shielding application in paediatric patients, and limited knowledge of occupational dose limits as the most commonly documented protection deficiencies. The ICRP Publication 103 framework of justification, optimisation, and dose limitation provides the normative analytical reference. Findings are expected to reveal moderate knowledge scores alongside suboptimal practice compliance, reflecting the well-documented knowledge-practice gap in radiation protection behaviours. Recommendations address refresher radiation protection training, mandatory dosimetry compliance protocols, and annual department radiation safety audits in the Kano State teaching hospital context. Keywords: radiation protection, radiographers, ALARA, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, North West Nigeria.