BEING AN ADVANCED PRACTITIONER IN RADIOTHERAPY: EUROPEAN KEY STAKEHOLDERS’ INSIGHTS

Oliveira C, C., Barbosa, B., Couto, J.G., Bravo, I., Hughes, C., McFadden, S., Khine, R. and McNair, H. (2023) BEING AN ADVANCED PRACTITIONER IN RADIOTHERAPY: EUROPEAN KEY STAKEHOLDERS’ INSIGHTS. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, 54 (4). S5. ISSN 19398654

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION Advanced Practitioners (APs) in oncology are a valuable resource within the healthcare workforce. Advanced Therapeutic Radiographers/ Radiation Therapists (TR/RTTs) currently face many challenges at national and European level, mainly in education and training for AP roles. Direct barriers include: no formal training for specific AP roles, lack of regulation on AP governance, no standardised education requirements for AP level. Indirect barriers include: dual qualification for TR/RTTs practice, lack of professional recognition and career development, academic degree lower than EQF6 level for TR/RTT registration. Organisational barriers: work-based learning with low support from academy, implementation of ad hoc roles at local level, lack of protected time for education and training. This study explores the perceptions of European Radiotherapy (RT) stakeholders about the current APs’ profile in RT practice. METHODS This qualitative exploratory study conformed to the COREQ 32-point checklist used both convenience and purposive sampling to recruit participants across Europe. Data collection involved recording of online one-to-one semi-structured interviews with participants from different stakeholder groups between June and September 2022. Independent transcriptions were checked, anonymised, and four researchers partly performed independent coding for inter-coder reliability. The seven steps of Braun and Clarke guided the thematic analysis (using NVivo software) to draw out the main themes discussed and approved by the team. RESULTS Insights from 33 participants across a range of stakeholder groups: APs (n=14), managers (n=6), educators (n=4), postgraduate students (n=3), professional associations representatives (n=4) and regulatory bodies representatives (n=2) working (or studying) in 16 European countries. Participants described APs’ profile in RT in a broad range of contexts. The facilitators to the implementation of AP roles included clear career progression pathways, governance and regulation, funding and protected time for AP posts and education/training, importance of professional recognition, collaborative working, acceptance of changes in the departmental culture, staff motivation, management support, work-based learning with supervision, access to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to support AP roles among others. Requirements to work as AP TR/RTT were appointed as master's degree education and experience in RT clinical practice, although some participants reported no formal specifications at local level. The identity of the AP TR/RTT was described as a confident, independent, autonomous, and expert professional. Several participants perceive the APs as leaders, problem solvers, critical thinkers, role models, decision makers, innovators, influencers, team players, educators, reflective learners, trusted and respected professionals, aware practitioners, etc. CONCLUSION This study has provided the shared voice of AP stakeholders in RT across Europe. APs in RT hold an emerging professional profile with a level of practice that is not yet regulated across Europe. These insights emphasize the importance of recognition and regulation of this professional profile amongst the oncology workforce to provide consistently high level of care to patients throughout Europe.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	** Article version: AM ** Embargo end date: 01-12-2024 ** From Elsevier via Jisc Publications Router ** History: epub 01-12-2023; issued 31-12-2023. ** Licence for AM version of this article starting on 01-12-2024: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
SWORD Depositor:	JISC Router
Depositing User:	JISC Router
Date Deposited:	05 Feb 2024 09:56
Last Modified:	05 Feb 2024 09:56
URI:	https://bnu.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/18932

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