Department of Optometry, Radiography and Lighting Design, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), Pb 235, 3603 Kongsberg, Norway.
Department of Optometry, Radiography and Lighting Design, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), Pb 235, 3603 Kongsberg, Norway.
Radiography (Lond). 2024 Mar;30(2):605-611. doi: 10.1016/j.radi.2024.01.016. Epub 2024 Feb 7.
Radiographers have a fundamental duty to assess radiological referrals and ensure imaging is justified. This study constitutes the third part of a broader research on radiographers' assessment of referrals. The study examines the opinions of radiographers on the matter, as articulated in their own words.
A questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions was designed, validated, and distributed to radiographers following activities organised by the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT). This third part covers the participants' free-text comments about radiographers' assessment of referrals. Qualitative, inductive content analysis was used to report findings involving three phases: 1) Preparation, 2) Organisation where two authors individually coded and categorised the emerged themes, and 3) Reporting, were the authors compared, reviewed, and defined the meanings of the themes and sub-themes.
Five main themes Opportunity, Competency, Work environment, Role perception and Significance emerged, shaped as descriptive, normative, and prospective statements. In opportunities the respondents (descriptively) depicted the importance of their position and challenges faced, including lack of adequate clinical information in referrals. Competencies concerned whether they have the required knowledge and skills for the task. In work environment the respondents viewed themselves as partners and collaborators with radiologists and referrers but expressed that unclear regulations could challenge their task. In role perception, the respondents expressed (normatively) that assessing referrals is vital for professional self-esteem and radiographers' responsibility. Significance covers the importance of assessing referrals for different aspects relating to quality of services.
Radiographers expressed high engagement towards tasks of assessing referrals. To support radiographers in this role, it is crucial to establish clear regulations, better organisation of departmental processes and provide adequate training.
Radiology departments should actively explore strategies of incorporating the radiographers' resources and core position in the process of assessing referrals, in a consistent and effective manner.
放射技师有评估放射检查申请并确保影像学检查合理的基本职责。本研究是对放射技师评估申请的更广泛研究的第三部分，旨在研究放射技师对这一问题的看法，用他们自己的话来表达。
设计了一份带有封闭式和开放式问题的问卷，经过国际放射技师和放射治疗师学会（ISRRT）组织的活动验证后，分发给放射技师。第三部分涵盖了参与者关于放射技师评估申请的自由文本评论。采用定性、归纳内容分析法报告结果，包括三个阶段：1）准备，2）组织，两位作者单独对出现的主题进行编码和分类，3）报告，作者比较、审查并定义主题和子主题的含义。
五个主要主题机会、能力、工作环境、角色认知和重要性出现了，它们被描述为描述性、规范性和前瞻性陈述。在机会方面，受访者（描述性地）描述了他们的职位的重要性和面临的挑战，包括申请中缺乏足够的临床信息。能力方面涉及他们是否具备完成任务所需的知识和技能。在工作环境方面，受访者认为自己是放射科医生和申请者的合作伙伴和协作者，但表示不明确的规定可能会对他们的任务构成挑战。在角色认知方面，受访者（规范性地）表示，评估申请对与服务质量相关的不同方面都很重要。重要性涵盖了评估申请对放射技师专业自尊和责任感的重要性。
放射技师对评估申请的任务表现出高度的投入。为了支持放射技师在这一角色中的工作，建立明确的规定、更好地组织部门流程以及提供足够的培训至关重要。
放射科部门应积极探索策略，以一致有效的方式将放射技师的资源和核心地位纳入评估申请的过程中。
