Letter in response to 'The conceptual model of advanced practice does include research'

This letter refutes the suggestion made the authors of other letters to the Editor that the proposed model of the characteristics of advanced practitioners excludes research International Journal of Experimental Patholog

Practice patterns of radiation therapy technology in Australia: results of a national audit

Introduction: This article presents the results of a single-day census of radiation therapy (RT) treatment and technology use in Australia. The primary aim of the study was to ascertain patterns of RT practice and technology in use across Australia. These data were primarily collated to inform curriculum development of academic programs, thereby ensuring that training is matched to workforce patterns of practice. Methods: The study design was a census method with all 59 RT centres in Australia being invited to provide quantitative summary data relating to patient case mix and technology use on a randomly selected but common date. Anonymous and demographic-free data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Overall data were provided across all six Australian States by 29 centres of a possible 59, yielding a response rate of 49% and representing a total of 2743 patients. Findings from this study indicate the increasing use of emerging intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image fusion and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) technology in Australian RT planning and delivery phases. IMRT in particular was used for 37% of patients, indicating a high uptake of the technology in Australia when compared to other published data. The results also highlight the resource-intensive nature of benign tumour radiotherapy. Conclusions: In the absence of routine national data collection, the single-day census method offers a relatively convenient means of measuring and tracking RT resource utilisation. Wider use of this tool has the potential to not only track trends in technology implementation but also inform evidence-based guidelines for referral and resource planning

Australian medical radiation science graduates’ experiences of resilience during transition to professional practice

Health professionals experience adversity as they make the transition from student to independent practice. Resilience during transition to practice for the medical radiation sciences (MRS) is unexamined. A grounded-theory approach was used to explore resilience among new Australian MRS professionals, resulting in a theoretical conceptualisation of resilience as a process of evolution, with phases of impact, energising, maintaining momentum, achieving equilibrium, and beating inertia. Resilience can be fostered by educators, colleagues, employers and professional organisations

Supporting and promoting reflective thinking processes in an undergraduate Medical Imaging program

Notions of reflective practice are now well-accepted in many health professions. For those involved in professional, clinical practice education, reflective practice is becoming a central component. Much research is required as to how to help students develop their reflective writing processes, rather than just using writing as a tool to assess their understandings, or as a mechanistic process. In particular, there is little consideration in the literature of effective strategies for first-year student health professionals. The authors are involved in a Medical Imaging program at Curtin University, and participate in an ongoing research project designed to explore the curriculum development, teaching and assessment of students’ reflective writing. Medical Imaging students are introduced to reflective writing in their first semester of studies through a strategy that incorporates theoretical knowledge, writing practice and comprehensive feedback. Academic staff from the Medical Imaging discipline work in partnership with academic literacies staff to support students in developing their reflective processes. The strategy implemented for Curtin University Medical Imaging students during the first semester of first year has been found to support students to develop and progress their understanding and skills in reflective practice and reflective writing

An assessment of radiation oncology medical physicists’ perspectives on undertaking research

As part of a study of the radiation oncology workforce, radiation oncology medical physicists (ROMPs) who had worked in Australia were surveyed regarding their attitudes to participating in research. Responses from 88 ROMPs were available for analysis, representing a broad mix of employment situations and research experience. Greater than 70% of ROMPs described their involvement in research as “liking it” or “loving it”, with associated identified benefits including skills development, job satisfaction and career progression. Over half of respondents agreed that involvement in research inspired them to stay in their profession. However, lack of time, support and motivation were all identified as barriers to participation in research. Areas of research interest were identified. This study highlights the importance of a research culture for job satisfaction and staff retention