Some research possibilities in diagnostic radiography

This is tha author's PDF version of an article published in Radiography© 1998. The definitive version is available at www.elsevierhealth.comAlthough scientific method is usually viewed as starting with hypotheses which must then be exposed to experimental test, there are situations where this rigid scenario is inappropriate. Fortunately, the alternatives provide avenues for valuable investigative work in radiographic research. Research questions may be addressed by collecting data from existing sources in a way that not only provides fundamental information about human biology, but may improve the efficacy of radiographic practice while avoiding ethical problems about the use of patients. Among those involved in osteology, it is radiographers who see and store the most bone images. Subsequently, they have access to more osteological information than anyone else. All that remains is for this information to be extracted and put into a more accessible form. Since they are closely involved with the patients from whom their radiographs stem, there are research questions which radiographers are uniquely situated to raise.Supported by a University of Liverpool research development gran

Evaluating interprofessional simulation in the operating theatre

The operating theatre is an area of practice that newly qualified Diagnostic Radiographers find challenging. Interprofessional education (IPE) and simulation are becoming widely used in healthcare education in order to prepare students for practice. Failures in interprofessional communication are well-documented with poor communication an established cause of medical error and negative health outcomes. Socio-historical issues like imbalances in power and status are particularly prevalent in the operating theatre environment, and add complications to interprofessional working. As part of an action research study to develop and pilot an interprofessional simulation experience for Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) and Diagnostic Radiography (DRAD) students. Diagnostic Radiography students took part in a simulation in the mock operating theatre on the university campus with an ODP student, ODP and Diagnostic Radiography lecturers. A purposive convenience sample of 48 second year Diagnostic Radiography students participated in the simulation. Following the simulation students were asked to evaluate the session using Padlet and later reflect on the impact of the experience on practice. The simulation was a positive experience. The timing and organisation of the simulation is important for the students to get the most out of the experience. There are benefits of being immersed in a high fidelity simulation and the realism plays a role in preparing students for real life experiences

Preparation for Practice through Service User involvement in the Diagnostic Radiography curriculum at University Campus Suffolk

The purpose of this small-scale study was to evaluate the student experience of service user involvement in the curriculum for the module entitled ‘The Service User’ as part of a BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography degree programme.Following four teaching sessions, at which service users came to speak to the students about their experiences, a questionnaire was distributed to 43 second year diagnostic radiography students. Twenty-six responses were received (60%). The questionnaire was used to evaluate the usefulness of the sessions. A mixture of open and attitudinal questions using a seven point Likert scale was employed.The results were analysed and the feedback was generally positive in terms of the involvement of service users within the curriculum

Visual function assessment of diagnostic radiography students

Introduction: Deterioration of visual acuity (VA) and visual impairment has been linked to age-related subtle changes, gender, and a correlation to socioeconomic status. This study aimed to assess first-year diagnostic radiography students’ visual functional abilities by applying the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps (ICIDH) recommendations of functional VA screening and health-related quality of life questionnaire (HRQOL). Methods: The design followed the World Health Organisation (WHO) electronic VA testing of monocular sight using LogMAR charts and binocular vision using Snellen charts, and an HRQOL questionnaire assessing for reduced ability of visual-based tasks in activities of daily living (ADL). The data was evaluated in correlation to the participant’s visual correction, age, gender, and socioeconomic background. Results: Seventy students were recruited, all meeting the WHO standard level for visual ability, with 100% (n=70/70) met or achieved above normal binocular vision, correlating to expected normal population results from published studies for age. The monocular vision demonstrated 74% (n=52/70) for the right eye, and 80% (n=56/70) for the left eye for normal vision levels. The results did not differ significantly between each eye (p=0.21), gender variations between the left eye (p=0.27) and the right eye (p=0.10) results were affected by sample ratio of females (80%; n=56/70) to males (20%; n=14/70), the visual correction did not impair binocular VA. The HRQOL assessment indicated no significant functional VA issues in the study sample. The study demonstrated no association between the participant’s socioeconomic background that may influence their VA ability. Conclusion: The results provided normative binocular and monocular data on visual function in a sample of student radiographers and indicated that their thresholds align to normal (or near-normal) VA standards. Implications for practice: The visual health data was reviewed for subgroup comparison and trend analysis, and did not identify risk factors within this sample group that their VA and visual functioning would impact upon radiography clinical placement tasks and activities. The sample is not generalisable to the wider population; further studies are recommended

Adopting a blended approach to learning: experiences from radiography at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh

The perspective of the radiography teaching team at Queen Margaret University (QMU) was that a transmission mode of programme delivery was sub-optimal in helping students to learn and make links between theory and practice. Programme redesign adopted a blended learning approach with both face-to-face and online learning aimed at enhancing the students’ control over their own learning. Online tasks within Web Classroom Tools (WebCT) were used as an integral part of careful programme design, which resulted in a programme enabling synthesis of the skills, knowledge and competencies acquired in the academic and clinical environments. With the move towards a more learner-centred, blended educational experience for the students the lecturers’ role shifted to that of facilitator with WebCT providing the tutor with a more transparent view of student learning. Lecturers plan learning activities that build upon the skills students have developed through learning in groups, online and in class. The explicit connections that now exist between the academic programme and the opportunities for applying knowledge in practice allow students to engage more deeply in their learning

Contemporary practice education: exploring student perceptions of an industrial radiography placement for final year diagnostic radiography students.

Introduction: There is a paucity of evidence in diagnostic radiography evaluating a career path into industrial imaging despite several higher education institutes stating this route as a career option on graduation. The link between a career in industrial radiography and diagnostic routes is unknown although there are anecdotal examples of individuals transferring between the two. Successfully obtaining a first post job following graduation in diagnostic radiography can be challenging in the current financial climate. A partnership was formed with an energy sector company that offered non-destructive testing/non-destructive evaluation (NDT/NDE) employing industrial radiographic technicians. Method: As an initial pilot, 5 (. n = 5) final year diagnostic radiography students visited an industrial radiography site and underwent theoretical and practical training. Following this placement they engaged in a focus group and the student perceptions/responses were explored and recorded. Results: Common themes were identified and categorised via a thematic analysis. These were; radiation safety, physics and technology, widening access, graduate attributes/transferable skill sets and working conditions. Conclusion: Student discussion focussed around the benefits of working conditions in healthcare, the value of technology, safety and physics education in alternative placements and the transferability of skills into other/industrial sectors (e.g. NDT/NDE). Contemporary practice placements are a useful pedagogical approach to develop complex conceptual theoretical constructs, such as radiation physics. An in depth evaluation between the two industries skill sets is postulated. Additionally, this could offer alternative/emerging roles to interested diagnostic radiographers potentially meeting the skill shortage in industrial radiography

The value of case reports in diagnostic radiography

Objective: This paper sought to explore the value of case reports in diagnostic radiography with regards to current usage, relevance to evidence-based radiography, and educational benefits. Key findings: Case reports are short accounts of novel pathologies, trauma or treatment with a critical review of relevant literature. Examples within diagnostic radiography include the appearances of COVID-19 alongside examination-level scenarios involving image artefacts, equipment failure and patient incidents in radiology. With greatest risk of bias and lowest generalisability, they are considered as lowquality evidence with generally poor citation rates. Despite this, there are examples of significant discoveries or developments initiated with case reports with important patient care implications. Furthermore, they offer educational development for both reader and author alike. Whereas the former learns about an unusual clinical scenario, the latter develops scholarly writing skills, reflective practice and may generate further, more complex, research. Radiography-specific case reports could capture the diverse imaging skills and technological expertise currently under-represented in traditional case reports. Potential avenues for cases are broad and may include any imaging modality where patient care or safety of other persons may illicit a teaching point. This encapsulates all stages of the imaging process, before, during and after patient interaction. Conclusion: Despite being low-quality evidence, case reports contribute to evidence-based radiography, add to the knowledge base, and foster a research culture. However, this is contingent upon rigorous peerreview and adherence to ethical treatment of patient data. Implications for practice: With the drive to increase research engagement and output at all levels in radiography (student to consultant), case reports may act as a realistic grasseroot activity for a burdened workforce with limited time and resources

A model as a framework of reference to facilitate the teaching of caring to first-year diagnostic radiography students

Abstract:Within the context of South Africa, student diagnostic radiographers start their workintegrated learning from their first year of study. Hence, it is imperative for them to be caring professionals. Generally, diagnostic radiography students begin the radiography programme being passionate and enthusiastic about caring, but they find themselves in environments that do not fully support the development of caring professionals. Diagnostic radiography has always been perceived as a very scientific, technology-driven profession hence the focus of the current undergraduate curriculum is on the technical aspects of equipment and patient positioning. While patient care is definitely an aspect that is emphasised in radiography education, the teaching of caring has been overlooked. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore and describe the concept of caring among first-year diagnostic radiography students, in order to develop a model to facilitate the teaching of caring. A qualitative, theory-generating, exploratory and descriptive research design was used. Four steps were conducted for model development as a research method. Step 1 was the concept analysis consisting of two phases. Step 1, phase 1 was focus group interviews with first-year student diagnostic radiographers, exploring their understanding of caring. Appreciative inquiry was used as an interview technique. Focus group interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved. Three major themes emerged from the data: caring as an integral part of a career choice, unpreparedness for interpersonal interactions and barriers and enablers to the development of a caring identity. Results from the focus group interviews in phase one of this research study revealed that radiography students describe caring as being integral to choosing radiography as a career. Despite this, they feel unprepared for their daily interactions with patients. Additionally, they articulated that the radiography environment does not fully support the development of a caring identity. Inductive reasoning was used to identify a central concept, namely the facilitation of a culture of caring. In step 1, phase 2, the related concepts were defined according to dictionary and literature sources. Step 2 entailed the description of relationships between the identified concepts. Step 3 was the development and description of the model. This v model provides a simple, practical guide to teaching caring to students in a meaningful way that will allow them to develop a culture of caring that will be part of them as individuals. The implementation of the model will be conducted in three phases, namely relationship, working and termination phase. Lastly, step 4 was the description of guidelines for the implementation of the model. These guidelines were illustrated in the form of a workbook. The operationalisation of this model will be in the form of coursework that can be incorporated into relevant subject modules, starting at firstyear level.D.Tech. (Radiography

Task-specific short PowerPointsTM for effective off-campus learning in diagnostic radiography

This case study details the implementation of task-specific PowerPointTM presentations for an undergraduate diagnostic radiography module in response to the first COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom. A series of short, focussed learning materials was created over a two-month period to alleviate student anxieties and improve assessment literacy concerning evidence-based practice and research skills. Alternative file sizes were offered with optional embedded narration for time-or internet-poor students. Statistical tracking on the Blackboard virtual learning environment showed high levels of student interaction, with positive qualitative feedback and satisfactory impact upon assessment outcomes. A correlation between a lack of content usage and poor academic results could be inferred, with three students failing one or both assessments through reduced or absent use. Despite the benefits of weekly additional content, it was not possible to ascertain whether students viewed/listened to downloaded files. Furthermore, instructional presentations may encourage surface learning rather than a deeper comprehension. Recommendations include using video streaming platforms to provide meta-data on student interaction alongside periodic formative assessments for confirmation of comprehension. Lastly, this research recognises remote learning’s potential to alienate students who prefer in-person teaching in a more sociable environment