Headquarters Daily Report FEBRUARY 13, 1996 *************************************************************************** REPORT NEGATIVE NO INPUT ATTACHED INPUT RECEIVED RECEIVED HEADQUARTERS û REGION I û REGION II û REGION III û REGION IV û PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED MORNING REPORT - REGION III FEB. 13, 1996 Licensee/Facility: Notification: MR Number: 3-96-0022 Good Samaritan Hospital Date: 02/09/96 Vincennes,Indiana TELEPHONE CALL TO REGION III Dockets: 03001600 License No: 13-01787-01 Subject: DECEASED PATIENT PREVIOUSLY TREATED WITH P-32 TAKEN TO FINERAL HOME Discussion: On February 9, 1996, the licensee reported that a patient undergoing intracavitary treatments using phosphorus-32 (P-32) chromic phosphate, died in the hospital shortly after the treatments were administered and was transferred to a funeral home. The patient was administered 15 millicuries of P-32 on January 29, 1996, and again on February 6, 1996, and hospitalized for reasons other than radiation safety. The patient did not require hospitalization pursuant to 10 CFR 35.315. On February 9, 1996, the patient died, and the body was released from the hospital and transferred to a funeral home, without the Radiation Safety Officer's knowledge. Less than 20 millicuries of P-32 remained in the patient at the time of death. Radiation surveys performed by the licensee at the funeral home on February 9, 1996, subsequent to the embalming process, revealed no significant contamination or radiation exposure to funeral home workers. Workers received whole body exposures less than 10 millirem during the embalming process. Certain equipment used during the embalming process exhibited low levels of contamination and were retrieved by the licensee and taken to its facility for storage and decay. Regional Action: NRC Region III (Chicago) will review the circumstances of the incident and evaluate the licensee's internal notification processes for such incidents during a future inspection. Contact: B. J. HOLT (708)829-9836 WAYNE SLAWINSKI (708)829-9820 _