ESTRO 2024 - Abstract Book

S5748

RTT - Education, training, advanced practice and role developments

ESTRO 2024

Table 1: Master and Sub-Themes

Master Theme

Sub-Themes

Emotional Burden

Patient memories: Loved ones Young and paediatric patients Palliative patients Memorable patient cases

Professional Emotion: Putting on a brave face Taking things home

The Professional Student

Being a student The team

Impact of Covid-19 pandemic

Identity & Risk Working practices & Personal Protective Equipment ( PPE)

Referral Delays Communication

Managing Demands

Support networks The patient list Resilience & Fatigue

The Professional Carer

Giving back & Making a difference Gratitude The care package: care & humour The compassionately detached professional No Emotion

Progression and Transition

Supervision and mentorship Making Progress

Radiation

Justification Switching on

Results:

Findings:

Inextricably woven into their experience was their thoughts on the programme they were undertaking, their learning experience and their eventual evolution to qualified Therapeutic Radiographers. Above all, participants were passionate and positive about the professional career they were embarking on and secure in their career choice. They spoke with honesty about aspects of their experience which they enjoyed and aspects which they found challenging. Many struggled with finding their place and a feeling that they were often in the way, unable to keep pace with qualified staff who were focussed on getting through a patient list as efficiently as possible. Many demonstrated emotional resilience and strength far beyond that which could be expected of students during pre-registration training. Previous experience of a cancer diagnosis in their family, was for many a trigger for them to seek out a role in which they could feel they were making a difference. The burden of managing treatment related toxicity, the