Last reviewed 10 November 2026 against the sources linked in this post.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) puts it bluntly in its manual: deaths and serious injuries have occurred in MRI, and the events are typically tied to unsafe practices, failure to follow MR safety policies, or gaps in those policies. That is the case for regular MRI safety training: the magnet does not switch off between patients, so the habits have to be in place before anyone walks in.
This is a list of 7 ready-made courses for imaging managers and safety officers who train radiographers and MRI staff. One point first: these templates are not Level 1 or Level 2 MR safety courses. They give you content and a live deck to run yourself, and your MR Medical Director decides what your own MR personnel must learn. Each group ends with an Our pick.
All 7 courses at a glance
| Course | What it covers | Length | Rule or guidance behind the topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radiation protection and MRI safety | ALARA, justification checks, dosimeters, MRI zones and screening, incident reporting | 45 min | UK IR(ME)R 2017 for the justification lesson |
| HIPAA privacy rule essentials | When patient information may be used or shared | 35 min | 45 CFR 164.530(b) |
| Workplace violence prevention in healthcare | Warning signs, de-escalation and reporting | 40 min | None cited here |
| Harassment prevention: employees (US federal) | What harassment is and how to report it | 45 min | Harassment can be unlawful (EEOC) |
| Respectful workplace & anti-bullying | Naming and responding to everyday disrespect | 35 min | None cited here |
| Emergency action & fire prevention plans | Raising the alarm and getting out safely | 30 min | OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 |
| Resilience, stress and wellbeing at work | Recognising strain and where to get support | 35 min | None cited here |
Imaging and MRI safety
Scanner staff handle radiation, a permanent magnetic field and sensitive scans. These two cover the core duties.
Radiation protection and MRI safety
This 45-minute course has six lessons: ionising radiation basics and ALARA, justification and referral rules, protecting staff and patients, MRI zones and screening, incident reporting and a final assessment. It is written for radiographers and assistant practitioners. The MRI lesson teaches staff to screen everyone, check MR labels and follow the emergency rules for the controlled access area. The ACR manual explains why: the magnet should be assumed to be always on, so access has to be controlled at all times. Its justification lesson is built on the UK's Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017, so check your own country's rules. One moment to use in the session: which of these scans does not use ionising radiation?
HIPAA privacy rule essentials
HIPAA's Privacy Rule says a covered entity must train all members of its workforce on the policies and procedures for protected health information, as necessary for their functions. This 35-minute course teaches what counts as protected information, when it can be used or shared and how to escalate. A scan can reveal a diagnosis that the patient has told almost nobody, so every member of an imaging team handles protected information. Its opening question suits a department: a coworker is also a patient, so can you open her chart to see how she is doing?
Our pick: Radiation protection and MRI safety. It is the only template here that covers the scanner room itself, and it gives you a ready screening lesson to adapt to your own MR policies.
Staying safe and respected at work
Imaging departments run on tight schedules and small teams. These three keep the workplace safe and fair.
Workplace violence prevention in healthcare
This 40-minute course teaches how to know the hazard, set up controls, de-escalate, and report and recover. Anxious patients and long waits can lead to aggression in imaging departments, and a frightened patient can be the start. Run its de-escalation scenario in the session and let the team talk through what they would say. Our guide to workplace violence in healthcare goes further for managers.
Harassment prevention: employees (US federal)
The EEOC says harassment becomes unlawful where enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or where the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive. This 45-minute course teaches what harassment is, how to spot it and respond, and how to speak up. A small imaging team needs clear rules and a clear way to report. Ask the room to sort examples into unlawful harassment, a policy breach or acceptable behaviour.
Respectful workplace & anti-bullying
This 35-minute course separates everyday disrespect from unlawful harassment, then gives simple things to say and ways to raise a concern. Respectful teamwork matters at the scanner because people who feel safe will say "stop, check that again" before a patient enters the room. Use its question in the session: why does everyday disrespect matter for a team?
Our pick: Workplace violence prevention in healthcare. A scared patient on a narrow table is the moment your team is least likely to have rehearsed.
Emergencies and wellbeing
Emergency action & fire prevention plans
OSHA's rule says an employer must review the emergency action plan with each employee when the plan is developed or the employee is first assigned to a job. This 30-minute course teaches how to raise the alarm, get out safely and stay or shelter. A scanner room needs one more layer, because the ACR manual says to assume that in a fire in Zone IV the magnetic field is present, fully operational and potentially dangerous, so firefighters must not have free access to Zone III or IV. Use the course for the general plan and add your own MR emergency steps. The OSHA rule applies only where a standard requires a plan, so check with your safety lead.
Resilience, stress and wellbeing at work
This 35-minute course teaches how to recognise strain in yourself and others, a simple recovery process and where to get support. Full lists and anxious patients make stress management practical. Ask the team, in a Word Cloud, what the last hour before a long list feels like.
Our pick: Emergency action & fire prevention plans. Everyone in the department will need it, and it prompts the conversation about what is different when the magnet is involved.
How to roll the plan out
Start with the courses tied to a rule: radiation and MRI safety, privacy and the emergency action plan. Add the respect courses to onboarding. Then schedule annual refreshers, because the ACR recommends that Level 1 and Level 2 MR personnel undergo annual MR safety training, and finish with role-specific depth such as your own screening form and zone walk-through.
Anchor each session to the same fact: the ACR's finding that serious MR safety events usually trace back to unsafe practices or gaps in policy, and only rarely to equipment failure. For a team that also includes phlebotomy or lab staff, see our guide to phlebotomy and lab training courses, and for the nursing side our guide to training for registered nurses.
Does a template replace MR safety education
No. The ACR manual says the MR Medical Director defines the formal MR safety education that qualifies someone as MR personnel, and that MR technologists are required to be Level 2 MR personnel. A certificate from a template is a record of completion, not an accreditation. Use the templates for induction, refreshers and the topics around the scanner, and keep your MR Medical Director and MR Safety Officer in charge of what counts as Level 1 or Level 2 at your site.
Ways to run these courses on AhaSlides
You can offer all 7 in three formats:
- Self-paced courses. Use the AhaSlides course creator to send each new starter a course to complete before their first shift in the department.
- A live Q&A deck. Collect questions ahead of the session, then answer them in the room. For running it well, see our 9 tips for a successful Q&A session.
- Surveys. Use the post-course survey and 30-day check-in that come with each template, or add a before-and-after Rating Scale in the live deck, and see how to track employee training completion.
Four slide types do most of the work:
- Pick Answer. Ask: "Which of these scans does not use ionising radiation?" Show the split before you reveal the answer.
- Word Cloud. Ask: "What is the hardest moment in a busy scanning list?" The biggest words show where the team needs practice.
- Rating Scale. Ask, before and after: "How confident are you in the screening steps before a patient enters the scanner room?" Rate from 1 to 5 and compare the averages.
- Open Ended. Ask: "What would you say to an anxious patient before the scan?" Answers can be anonymous, so people say what they think.
FAQ
What training do MRI staff need
MR safety education set by your MR Medical Director, plus radiation protection, patient care, privacy and emergency response. The ACR recommends that Level 1 and Level 2 MR personnel repeat MR safety training every year.
How do MRI technologists stay safe
By strict screening, controlled access and keeping ferromagnetic items out of the scanner room. The magnet is assumed to be always on, so the rules apply even when no scan is running, and safety training keeps those habits current.
How long is MRI technician training
It varies by country and route, from short certificates to degrees, so check an accredited provider for your location. A course template does not qualify anyone to operate a scanner; it supports the safety training around the job.
This post is general information, not legal advice. For a decision about your own workplace, speak to a qualified lawyer or the regulator.
