ESTRO 2024 - Abstract Book

S5816

RTT - Education, training, advanced practice and role developments

ESTRO 2024

References:

[1] Di Lalla, V., Chaput, G., Williams, T., & Sultanem, K. (2019). Radiotherapy side effects: integrating survivorship clinical lens to better serve patients. Current Oncology, 27(2). doi:10.3747/co.27.6233

[2] Pichel RC, Araújo A, Domingues VDS, Santos JN, Freire E, Mendes AS, Romão R, Araújo A. Best Supportive Care of the Patient with Oesophageal Cancer. Cancers. 2022; 14(24):6268. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14246268

1924

Digital Poster

Bridging the gap in training: Why is clinical practice so imperative?

Elizabeth L Joyce 1 , Marcus T Jackson 2 , Jennifer Skok 3 , Bianca Rock 4 , Helen A McNair 1,5

1 Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Radiotherapy, London, United Kingdom. 2 St George's, University of London, Diagnostic Radiography, London, United Kingdom. 3 St George's, University of London, Centre for Allied Health, London, United Kingdom. 4 Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Research Operations, London, United Kingdom. 5 Institute of Caner Research, Radiotherapy and Imaging, London, United Kingdom

Purpose/Objective:

Establishing efficient training programmes for therapeutic radiographers (TRs) within the NHS are essential to ensure that resources are used appropriately considering staffing, funding, and available equipment. Many programmes, both local and national, utilise different training methods to deliver successful training. A recent survey of UK TRs revealed that clinical practice was the preferred method of training for on-line adaptive radiotherapy. How this could be delivered, and experiences of training methods and programmes were investigated further to inform a training framework for adaptive radiotherapy.

Material/Methods:

A training needs analysis was performed as part of a larger study and included questions regarding training methods and preferences. A total of 267 participants responded and 99 consented to be contacted for individual interviews. A purposive sample (n = 15) was taken to include a range of experience, role, and geographical location. 10 participants were selected. Interviews were undertaken on earliest availability and were recorded and transcribed with participants assured of anonymity. A total of three researchers carried out the individual interviews and an interview guide was created as a basis for the researchers to follow. The first six were carried out by two radiography lecturers. Transcripts were coded by the three researchers independently. To ensure saturation, a further four interviews were carried out by the third researcher, a research TR, with the first interview observed by one of the radiography lecturers to ensure continuity. These transcripts were independently coded, and it was agreed that saturation has been reached.

Results: