Medicine - Journal Articles

Permanent URI for this collection

Browse

Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 5 of 646
  • Item
    High workload and under-appreciation lead to burnout and low job satisfaction among radiographers
    (Elsevier Ltd., 2024-12-03) Kennedy, E.; Ryan, Marie; England, Andrew; Sarkodie, B.; Khine, R.; McEntee, Mark F.
    Introduction: Burnout and low job satisfaction in healthcare can impact patient safety and staff retention. This study aims to gain information on the factors influencing burnout and job satisfaction among radiographers in the UK, Ireland and internationally. This can inform strategies for improving the workforce supply and demand imbalance. Methods: An online questionnaire was developed, which included demographic questions and two validated instruments, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS). The questionnaire was distributed to diagnostic radiographers through the EFRS Research Hub at the European Congress of Radiology, Vienna, in early March 2023. It was disseminated online through Twitter, Facebook, and email over six weeks. Results: 245 radiographers completed the questionnaire, with the majority (n = 207, 84.5 %) female. Not all respondents responded to all questions. The numbers of respondents for each section were: Pay n = 205, Promotion = 206, supervision = 212, fringe benefits = 211, CR = 212, OC = 214, Co-workers = 213, NoW = 211, Communication = 213 and overall JS = 205. The questionnaire had participants from twenty-one countries, with 66.5 % from Ireland. The mean values for emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA) indicate moderate levels of burnout among responding radiographers. 44.2 % of radiographers were dissatisfied, 43.7 % were ambivalent, and 12.1 % were satisfied overall. Workload, under-appreciated work, and time pressures were ranked as the top three factors contributing to burnout. Staff numbers, workload and poor management were the top three factors reducing job satisfaction. Conclusion: Burnout levels were moderate, and overall job satisfaction was very low among radiographers. Workload and under-appreciation were key factors impacting low job satisfaction and high burnout. Implications for practice: Healthcare policies that address radiographer burnout through wage structure adjustments, targeted human capital investment, and management practices aligned with staff needs are needed. Implementing these strategies is essential for improving healthcare efficiency, staff wellbeing, and patient care outcomes.
  • Item
    Computed tomography versus radiography for the detection of rib and skull fractures in paediatric suspected physical abuse: a systematic review
    (Springer Nature, 2024) Mohammed, Ahmed; Mahon, Eimear; Moore, Niamh; Sweetman, Lorna; Maher, Michael M.; O’Regan, Patrick; England, Andrew
    The diagnosis of suspected physical abuse (SPA) remains a continuous challenge to paediatric healthcare. Several studies have reported that computed tomography (CT) improves the evaluation of SPA. This study aims to systematically review the diagnostic performance of CT compared to radiography in investigating skull and chest fractures for SPA. Multiple databases were searched, using PRISMA methods, from 2008 to August 2024 for relevant studies in English. Two reviewers independently screened and selected relevant studies using Covidence software. The QUADAS-2 tool was used for the quality assessment of the included papers. Sensitivity, specificity and the effective radiation dose of CT and radiography from the included studies were extracted. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI). GRADE criteria were used to appraise the overall quality of the synthesis. Of the 4057 identified papers, 10 met the inclusion criteria; all 10 included skull and/or chest. The overall sensitivity and specificity of CT were 96.5% (95% CI, 94.9-97.7%) and 99.5% (95% CI, 99.1-99.8%), respectively. Compared to the sensitivity and specificity of radiography, 59.8% (95% CI, 56.2-63.3%) and 99.7% (95% CI, 99.3-99.8%), respectively. Conclusion: CT sensitivity is significantly higher than radiography in detecting rib and skull fractures for SPA. The effective dose for chest LDCT is comparable to that of radiography. Therefore, LDCT should be considered a potential replacement to radiography in SPA investigations for the chest and skull. What is Known • CT shows higher diagnostic performance than radiography in detecting skull and rib fractures in the diagnosis of SPA. What is New • When a head CT scan is acquired for SPA diagnosis at any age, the two-view skull radiograph can be safely eliminated from the Skeletal Survey protocol, likewise, Chest CT can replace chest radiography for SPA diagnosis of rib fractures. • The effective dose and image quality of low-dose chest CT is comparable to that of two-view chest radiography for SPA diagnosis.
  • Item
    Creating standard operating procedure (SOP) videos using multi-angle smotsTM cameras and an iPad: a step-by-step guide
    (Irish Learning Technology Association, 2024) Scanlan, Anna M.; Higher Education Authority
    Creating procedural videos through a first-person perspective is recommended to enhance learning for complex tasks in the field of STEM (Fiorella, van Gog, Hoogerheide & Mayer, 2017). While the medical disciplines feature strongly in research for the use of videos to augment training in complex surgical procedures, there is less evidence for the direct development of bespoke videos for (bio)pharmaceutical science laboratory procedures and equipment protocol. Furthermore, there is little research to guide instructors in the step-by-step creation of videos, from recording to editing and delivery, especially for the industrial life sciences. Here, an elegant model is presented providing a detailed outline of the steps taken to produce standard operating procedure (SOP) videos incorporating first-person perspective, using an iPad and multi-angle view Scotia Medical Observation and Training System (smotsTM) cameras in a university School of Pharmacy’s ‘Aseptic Training Suite.’ The objective of these videos is to reduce lab training time and time to competency in the (bio)pharmaceutical industry workplace. However, the process of creating these videos is applicable to many disciplines and sectors for training that involves a procedural element.
  • Item
    Regional and conditional variability of FXR: new lessons on ileal inflammation and gut barrier functions
    (American Physiological Society, 2024-10-10) Joyce, Susan A.; O’Malley, Dervla
  • Item
    Assessment of the role of experience in shaping sustainability perceptions within radiography
    (Elsevier B.V., 2024-11-15) Rawashdeh, M.; Ali, M. A.; McEntee, Mark F.; El-Sayed, M.; Saade, C.; Kashabash, D.; England, Andrew
    Introduction: Perceptions of environmental sustainability among radiographers can potentially be influenced by individual experiences and educational backgrounds. This study aims to investigate the perceptions and practices of radiographers regarding sustainability initiatives, emphasizing the significance of understanding their diverse experiences and backgrounds. Methods: This was an online survey involving 104 radiographers from various regions worldwide to evaluate their training related to global warming, their perceptions of sustainability, current practices, and the barriers they face in implementing sustainability practices. Results: Participants' knowledge regarding sustainability was significantly influenced by their social networks, including friends and family (χ2 = 12.505, p = 0.004). Notable correlations were observed between years' of experience and the belief in pollution's contribution to climate change (χ2 = 8.096,p = 0.038), as well as the perception of human activities as the primary cause of climate change (χ2 = 22.68,p = 0.011). Furthermore, involvement in environmental protection initiatives (χ2 = 19.268, p = 0.033) and the perception of local climate impacts (χ2 = 22.478, p = 0.012) were positively correlated with experience. In the field of radiography, the adoption of energy-efficient practices (χ2 = 10.482, p = 0.011) and the recycling of imaging waste (χ2 = 25.778, p = 0.004) were significantly associated with levels of experience. Lastly, the barrier identified as “Lack of Authority to make change” also exhibited a significant relationship with years of experience (χ2 = 9.449, p = 0.022). Conclusion: This study indicates that staff experiences play a significant factor influencing sustainability engagement among radiographers. Barriers identified include financial constraints, insufficient leadership, safety concerns, and inadequate training. Impact on practice: The current study highlights the essential requirement for customized strategies based on radiographers' experiences to improve sustainable practices in radiography. It acknowledges the impact of organizational barriers and suggests that progress toward a more sustainable future can be achieved through individual empowerment and collaboration within the healthcare sector.