17 7.2. Radiographers’ film reporting: setting agenda for optimal patient care in a developing country Presenter: Mark Okeji, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Nigeria Authors: Mark C. Okeji, K. K. Agwu Introduction: Radiographer’s identification of abnormality on a radiograph also known as Red-dot system in medical imaging is a practice widely used in the United Kingdom. It is a system whereby there is an initial radiographer’s reporting by the application of red dots on the radiographs to highlight abnormalities for the attention of the referring medical practitioners. This method was introduced due to limited number of radiologists and the need to promptly report trauma radiographs. Different modifications of the system are being practiced in various parts of world at present but its origin has been traced to an earlier work by Swinburne. In Nigeria, the Red-dot system has not been officially introduced in the health care system despite the limited number of radiologists in the country. This paper therefore aimed to assess the rate at which radiographs are reported in emergency department of some secondary and tertiary health care centres in Nigeria with a view to advocating alternatives for better health care delivery. Methods: This study covered the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. Two tertiary and two secondary health care centres in each of the geo-political zones were selected for the study giving a total of twenty-four hospitals. Results: Our study revealed that in all the hospitals surveyed only eight (33.3%) have permanent radiologists in their employment and six (25%) had visiting radiologists. All the hospitals had operational emergency departments with a doctor and a nurse designated on duty. The study showed that the absence of prompt reporting of radiographs by radiologists increased the morbidity and mortality experienced in the hospitals. 7.3. The use of a competancy based education process across an international heathcare organisation Presenters: Andrew Daly and Paul Bacon Alliance Medical Group, UK Authors: Philip Webster, Andrew Daly, Paul Bacon Introduction: To create a developing workforce there is the need to assess the current skills of individuals and create an educative process to expand knowledge and experience. This is required more than ever as due to increasing complexity of the Radiographers role and the constant refinement examination protocols as diagnostic knowledge extends. For organisations providing services in different countries and with a workforce made up of a number of nationalities this can be a significant and complex task. To effectively manage and deliver the skills development organisations need to ensure there are effective processes for ongoing education training and assessment. Across the Alliance Medical Group a standardised competency based framework has been developed to provide a quantifiable process for to assess education need, training delivered and standards of competency. Created by utilising multiple curricular and legislative regulations as guidance multiple standards of knowledge required were defined and correlated to create leaning points and measurement criteria. This framework is applicable for other organisations providing diagnostic services and clinical care. Methods: The competencies were grouped into chapters to provide a comprehensive framework. The process has been implemented across staff groups with difference professional core qualifications. Results: The development and rollout of the framework across a multinational imaging organisation is described with observations of its applicability across a cadre of staff who received their initial professional education across 24 Countries. The process has been developed for Molecular Imaging and is currently being extended to other imaging modalities. Cases studies are presented of the framework’s development, application and future expansion into Cross Sectional Imaging and Ultrasound modalities. 7.4. Toward a more detailed understanding of professional knowledge updating within the Medical Radiation Science profession Presenter: Madeleine Shanahan, RMIT University, Australia Author: Madeleine Shanahan Introduction: Mandatory CPD linked to registration requirements compel MRS professionals to maintain currency of their professional knowledge so that safe and high-quality care is delivered to all patients. Even though new knowledge is critical for performing at the highest standards, there is a paucity of research investigating the knowledge updating practices of MRS professionals, as well as the factors that afford or constrain this important activity. Methods: This study implemented a two-phase sequential mixed methods design. Phase 1 involved semi-structured interviews with 28 MRS professionals. Phase 2 involved the development and administration of a questionnaire to Australian MRS professionals. Results: Participation in the survey was N=362. This study identified the primary information sources used and areas of knowledge updated by MRS professionals. Statistically significant positive relationships were observed between use of information sources to update knowledge and enrolment in a CPD program, membership of a professional society, greater physical and effective access in the workplace. This study has provided a more nuanced understanding of factors impacting on knowledge updating activity 7.5. Advanced Practice Curriculum Design Using a Modified Delphi Technique Presenter: Kirstie Matthews, Monash University, Australia Authors: Kristie Matthews; Catherine Osborne; Caroline Wright Introduction: National access to radiation oncology services for cancer patients is a recognised issue in Australia, and workforce re-modelling including radiation therapy advanced practitioners is seen as a possible solution. Advanced practice for radiation therapists has evolved in a largely ad-hoc way in Australia, and such roles that are in existence have been implemented to streamline the patient pathway; however there is little formal evidence to support particular models of training or evaluation of clinical impact. To promote a more co-ordinated approach to advancing radiation therapy practice, Monash University were granted funding from the Commonwealth Department of Health through the ‘Better Access to Radiation Oncology’ strategy to direct a project entitled ‘Development and Implementation of a National Educational Curriculum Framework for Advancing Radiation Therapy Practice’. In collaboration with University of Newcastle, University of South Australia, Queensland University of Technology, and RMIT University, a multi-faceted research project was undertaken to inform curriculum design, including literature review, stakeholder surveys, semi-structured interviews, and a modified Delphi technique. This paper will present the method and results of the modified Delphi technique component of the research strategy, and discuss how this evidence has been utilised to inform the resultant radiation therapy advanced practice curriculum. Methods: A Delphi panel was recruited from senior radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, medical physicists, and academics. A two-round Delphi technique was undertaken to determine the characteristics of advanced practitioners and curriculum model. Results: The Delphi technique generated a comprehensive list of knowledge, skills, attributes, and learning outcomes of advanced practitioners, and preferred curriculum model. This evidence has been incorporated into an Australian radiation therapy advanced practice curriculum framework that will be launched in July 2014. 7.6. Mrs Whyte's Amazing Guide for Students Presenter: Lorraine Whyte, Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre,UK Author: Lorraine Whyte Introduction: This project began in an attempt to produce a guidebook for student therapy radiographers, higher education institutes and practice placement providers. This was to improve under-graduate clinical placements at the Beatson and identify the gaps in our provision of clinical training and put our own practice as clinical educators under the microscope. The project also aimed to not only describe but try to understand the experiences of our students during their clinical placements in the department. Stories are generated using the Touchpoint method and the benefits of this approach allows practitioners to see in a more balanced way both the positive and negative aspects of an experience. Methods: Data was generated using the "Touchpoint" method. This method focuses on emotion by asking the test subject to consider a key point in their journey and select from a range of emotion words those that best describe their feelings about it.
ISRRT | Book Of Abstracts
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