Oliveira C, Barbosa B, Couto J G, Bravo I, Hughes C, McFadden S, Khine R, McNair H A
Radiotherapy Department, Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto (IPO Porto), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 865, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; Escola Internacional de Doutoramento, Universidad de Vigo, Circunvalación ao Campus Universitario, 36310 Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain.
Radiotherapy Department, Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto (IPO Porto), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 865, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; Escola Internacional de Doutoramento, Universidad de Vigo, Circunvalación ao Campus Universitario, 36310 Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain; Medical Physics, Radiobiology Group and Radiation Protection Group, IPO Porto Research Centre (CI-IPOP), Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto (IPO Porto), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 865, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
Radiography (Lond). 2023 Mar;29(2):261-273. doi: 10.1016/j.radi.2022.12.003. Epub 2023 Jan 4.
Advanced Practice (AP) roles in Radiotherapy (RT) over time are variable, often locally developed and not underpinned by professional standards which leads to conceptual and practical gaps. This study aimed to assess AP roles amongst Therapeutic Radiographers/Radiation Therapists (TR/RTTs) and identify educational gaps for this level across Europe.
An anonymous online survey was designed, validated, and distributed across Europe. Convenience sampling was used to recruit advanced TR/RTTs practitioners or TR/RTTs working in AP roles. Descriptive analysis from closed questions and thematic analyses from open questions are reported.
A total of 272 responses were obtained, of which 189 eligible participations were from 21 European countries. 42% of respondents acknowledged additional education required to perform AP, and 25% reported a minimum of five years of RT practice to perform AP roles/tasks. There is a trend to work more on the clinical practice domain with a low percentage of working time allocated to research. Inconsistency was found in job titles, scopes of practice, and educational backgrounds across and even within countries. Education needs regarding knowledge about image-guided and adaptive RT, multimodal imaging and technologies, and advanced treatment planning were found. Training needs on leadership and management skills and clinical site-specific expertise were identified.
This study clearly shows a gap in education support, a need for standardisation in job titles and scopes of practice across Europe.
As the first large-scale assessment of current AP roles and educational support amongst TR/RTTs across Europe, this study recommends the establishment of governance structure and role regulation. It also informs the curricula for master programmes to align the education with current and future practice.
随着时间的推移，放射治疗（RT）中的高级实践（AP）角色各不相同，通常是在当地发展起来的，且缺乏专业标准的支撑，这导致了概念和实践上的差距。本研究旨在评估治疗放射技师/放射治疗师（TR/RTT）中的AP角色，并确定欧洲范围内该水平的教育差距。
设计了一项匿名在线调查，进行了验证，并在欧洲各地分发。采用便利抽样的方法招募高级TR/RTT从业者或担任AP角色的TR/RTT。报告了封闭式问题的描述性分析和开放式问题的主题分析结果。
共获得272份回复，其中189份符合条件的参与回复来自21个欧洲国家。42%的受访者承认执行AP需要额外的教育，25%的受访者报告至少有五年的放疗实践经验才能担任AP角色/执行任务。在临床实践领域工作的趋势更明显，分配给研究的工作时间比例较低。在不同国家甚至同一国家内，职位头衔、实践范围和教育背景都存在不一致的情况。发现了关于图像引导和自适应放疗、多模态成像和技术以及先进治疗计划知识的教育需求。确定了领导力和管理技能以及临床特定部位专业知识的培训需求。
本研究清楚地表明了教育支持方面的差距，以及欧洲范围内职位头衔和实践范围标准化的必要性。
作为对欧洲TR/RTT中当前AP角色和教育支持的首次大规模评估，本研究建议建立治理结构和角色规范。它还为硕士课程的课程设置提供了参考，以使教育与当前和未来的实践相匹配。
