The ‘radiographer–referrer game’: image interpretation dynamics in rural practice

Squibb, Kathryn; Smith, Anthony J.; Dalton, Lisa; Bull, R

doi:10.1002/jmrs.152

Cited by 11 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…In the same vein other authors also noted that it is a core competency that will increase the ability of rural radiographers to further provide quality imaging service. 35 , 36 , 37 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Core competencies of radiographers working in rural hospitals of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Mung'omba

Botha

2017

Afr. j. prim. health care fam. med.

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IntroductionRural radiographers require, over and above traditional radiographic expertise, additional competencies which to a certain degree are unique however not limited to rural practice. Previous studies, however, have focused more attention primarily on other rural health professionals such as doctors and nurses leaving a research need in this field. This article focuses on the additional competencies that may be required for rural radiographers.AimTo investigate and identify additional core competencies required by radiographers working in rural hospitals of KwaZulu-Natal in order to propose a continuous professional development strategy aimed at rural radiographers.MethodsAn exploratory sequential design was utilised with qualitative (Phase I) and quantitative (Phase II) strands involving seven participants and 109 respondents, respectively. Only radiographers working in rural KwaZulu-Natal hospitals were included in the study. The four major themes and categories identified in Phase I were used to develop data collection instrument for Phase II of the study.ResultsCollectively, the results revealed that there were a number of additional core competencies such as, but not limited to, teamwork, ability to do basic obstetric ultrasound scans, leadership, management and reporting on plain radiographs, all of which are required by rural radiographers. In 2014 when these competencies were checked against a single curriculum, it was found that majority of them were either partially covered or not at all covered.ConclusionThe study provides additional information on context specific core competencies and, therefore, may act as a catalyst to influence the future of radiographers working in rural areas of South Africa.

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“…In the same vein other authors also noted that it is a core competency that will increase the ability of rural radiographers to further provide quality imaging service. 35 , 36 , 37 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Core competencies of radiographers working in rural hospitals of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Mung'omba

Botha

2017

Afr. j. prim. health care fam. med.

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“…Given the degree of control radiologists/sonologists may have over sonographers—similar to that of the medical profession generally over allied healthcare workers, it follows that there will be challenges in deciding on the level of autonomy given to sonographers in communicating scan results to a patient …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the technology and patient expectations have changed, there is still a lack of, or limited, policies or protocols in place in many Australian practices performing obstetric ultrasounds, to guide sonographers' actions and communications with patients . Even if there are protocols in place, they may not be clear, readily accessible or enforced at the departmental/practice level, and therefore sonographers feel they have very little ownership of them, if they restrict open communication with patients . Ambiguous policies and ad hoc departmental protocols can be stressful for the sonographer and ultimately impact negatively on the patient and their health outcome.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organisational and professional structures shaping the sonographer role in obstetrics

2016

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Introduction: Advances in ultrasound technology along with increased knowledge and expectations of pregnant patients have substantially changed the sonographer role. Sonographers are now the frontline practitioners as patients expect to know the results of a scan immediately, including if there is an adverse outcome. Communicating 'bad news' to pregnant patients is very often left to the sonographer without any departmental or organisational policies or protocols in place to guide the actions and communication required in these situations. Where there are protocols in place, the sonographers may not have been included in the decision-making process and therefore find that these are unclear or not readily accessible and/or they restrict open communication with patients.Methods: This paper reports on the hierarchical relationships that shape the patientsonographer encounter in obstetric ultrasound, particularly those with an adverse outcome, and provides an overview of the legislative, organisational and professional framework that structures the delivery of ultrasound services generally, and obstetric ultrasound services in particular. Results/Conclusion:There is a need for an evidence-based and inter-professional approach to develop departmental policies and protocols to provide clear guidelines, and a definite line of authority that clearly acknowledges the integral role a sonographer plays in their interaction with a patient.

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“…On the one hand, diagnostic imaging is ‘a highly structured, production‐oriented, complex, distributed, technical and image‐centred activity’ (p. e12) . On the other hand, multiple human interactions and high levels of interdependency between professional groups have a bearing on individual imaging decisions related to matters such as the adequacy of information on the request form, the most justifiable investigation with the most appropriate radiographic technique and/or intervention, and methods of image acquisition and processing to obtain images of optimal diagnostic quality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distributed decision making in action: diagnostic imaging investigations within the bigger picture

Makanjee

Bergh

Hoffmann

2017

J of Medical Radiation Sci

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IntroductionDecision making in the health care system – specifically with regard to diagnostic imaging investigations – occurs at multiple levels. Professional role players from various backgrounds are involved in making these decisions, from the point of referral to the outcomes of the imaging investigation. The aim of this study was to map the decision‐making processes and pathways involved when patients are referred for diagnostic imaging investigations and to explore distributed decision‐making events at the points of contact with patients within a health care system.MethodA two‐phased qualitative study was conducted in an academic public health complex with the district hospital as entry point. The first phase included case studies of 24 conveniently selected patients, and the second phase involved 12 focus group interviews with health care providers. Data analysis was based on Rapley's interpretation of decision making as being distributed across time, situations and actions, and including different role players and technologies.ResultsClinical decisions incorporating imaging investigations are distributed across the three vital points of contact or decision‐making events, namely the initial patient consultation, the diagnostic imaging investigation and the post‐investigation consultation. Each of these decision‐making events is made up of a sequence of discrete decision‐making moments based on the transfer of retrospective, current and prospective information and its transformation into knowledge.ConclusionThis paper contributes to the understanding of the microstructural processes (the ‘when’ and ‘where’) involved in the distribution of decisions related to imaging investigations. It also highlights the interdependency in decision‐making events of medical and non‐medical providers within a single medical encounter.

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The ‘radiographer–referrer game’: image interpretation dynamics in rural practice

Cited by 11 publications

References 23 publications

Core competencies of radiographers working in rural hospitals of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Core competencies of radiographers working in rural hospitals of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Organisational and professional structures shaping the sonographer role in obstetrics

Distributed decision making in action: diagnostic imaging investigations within the bigger picture

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