July 25th: Males in mammography

July’s paper is a look at a sometimes controversial topic, male mammographers. What do you think about it? Join us on the 25th!

Ashton J, Warren-Forward H M. Males in mammography – A narrative review of the literature. Radiography. In press.

While you’re here – pop over and read the highly informative accompanying blog by Bev Scragg.

Additional reading:

Warren-Forward H M. Barriers and incentives for choosing to specialise in mammography– A survey of Australian undergraduate diagnostic radiography students. Radiography. 2018; 24(4), 360-365

Society and College of Radiographers. Radiographers call for breast screening to be carried out by men as well as women. September 2017 (press release)

Fitzpatrick P, Winston A and Mooney T. Radiographer gender and breast-screening uptake. British Journal of Cancer. 2008. 98(11); 1759–1761

Times: Vancouver 1pm (25th) /Edmonton 2pm (25th) /Toronto 4pm (25th) /UK 9pm (25th) /Sydney 6am (26th) /Auckland 8am (26th)

 

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June 25th: Smoking cessation

Tobacco use is the single biggest contributor to cancer worldwide. What is the role of radiographers in encouraging quitting? Come and chat with Laura Charlesworth and Dan Hutton, authors of this month’s article, about talking to patients about their smoking.

Charlesworth L, Hutton D. Hussain H. Therapeutic Radiographers’ perceptions of the barriers and enablers to effective smoking cessation support. Radiography, 2019. 25(2); 121-128

Themes:

1. Advice from healthcare professionals to stop smoking increases the rate of smoking cessation by 30% but we are not always comfortable having health improvement conversations with patients – what holds us back and why?

2. Are smoking cessation conversations becoming part of our everyday practice? What is a good way to start a smoking cessation conversation?

3. e-cigarettes have gained popularity as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes and can help people quit – should we be recommending vaping as a smoking cessation tool?

4. What areas of public health and prevention are radiographers contributing to? What best practice examples have you seen?

Read Linda Hindle’s June blog “Allied Health Professionals have a major role to play in prevention”.

Times: Vancouver 1pm (25th) /Edmonton 2pm (25th) /Toronto 4pm (25th) /UK 9pm (25th) /Sydney 6am (26th) /Auckland 8am (26th)

Missed the chat? Catch up here!

Additional reading:

Conlon K, Pattinson L, Hutton D. Attitudes of oncology healthcare practitioners towards smoking cessation: A systematic review of the facilitators, barriers and recommendations for delivery of advice and support to cancer patients. Radiography. 2017. 23(3), 256-263

Bristow B. Smoking Cessation Basics: An Essential Component of Radiation Therapy Clinical Practice. JMIRS, 2013. 44(2); 106-116

Kassim R, Osei E, Kronin K A. A review of the effects of tobacco smoking on cancer treatment: smoking cessation intervention should be integrated into the cancer care continuum. Journal of Radiotherapy In Practice. 2019. First view.

Hindle L, Charlesworth L. The UK Allied Health Professions Public Health Strategic Framework 2019-2024

May 13th: Research tips #WishIdKnown

We’re going to reach out to radiographer researchers, clinician scientists, academics and clinic academics and ask them – what do you wish you’d known when you started out?

May’s chat is for anyone who wants useful advice on starting research, or doing research better. Come and learn from the experts, ask your questions and share your valuable experience with the radiography community.

Themes:

1: First steps: What advice do you have about finding an idea, refining your question, picking a research approach, searching the literature – the stage of deciding what you want to do?

2. Getting going: What advice do you have about finding your support people, navigating research in academic or clinical departments, applying for ethics – the stage of tacking your project?

3: Making a difference: What advice do you have about disseminating your research – going to conferences, developing posters, writing papers or policies – the stage of influencing practice (local and beyond)?

Use the #WishIdKnown and #MedRadJClub hashtags so we can keep track of the chat!

Additional reading:

JMIRS Clinical research Edition (21 open access articles)

JMRS Virtual Issue: Research (7 open access articles)

Times:

Vancouver 1pm (13th) /Edmonton 2pm (13th) /Toronto 4pm (13th) /UK 9pm (13th) /Sydney 6am (14th) /Auckland 8am (14th)

Missed the chat? Catch up with Wakelet here

Also: Read the write up/blog here.

April 23rd: Patient education

This month’s paper by Mikhaeil et al describes a quality improvement project to reduce “no shows” in a diagnostic imaging department using letters to patients, and an information package given to patient’s requiring an MRI by the referring physician. 

Mikhaeil, John S. et al. Attend: A Two-Pronged Trial to Eliminate No Shows in Diagnostic Imaging at a Community-Based Hospital. JMIRS. 2019 , 50(1) , 36 – 42

The chat is aligned with Wavelengths,  the technologist-led research and practice conference being held April 26th and 27th at the Michener Institute in Toronto. 

Themes:

1. Patient education about imaging or treatment is fundamental to care. How does it manifest in your practice?
2. The authors used a Quality Improvement approach using a number of Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to reduce the number of “no shows”. Have you used this approach and what was your experience?
3. What did you think of the interventions used by Mikhaeil et al in their study (letter to the patient and a pamphlet for GPs to give to patients)? Were patients involved?
4. What barriers exist for patients that can make it difficult for them to keep appointments?

Additional reading:

Mander G et al. Factors associated with appointment non‐attendance at a medical imaging department in regional Australia: a retrospective cohort analysis. JMRS. 2018, 65(3); 192-199

Lacy, N. L., Paulman, A., Reuter, M. D., & Lovejoy, B. (2004). Why we don’t come: patient perceptions on no-shows. Annals of family medicine, 2(6), 541–545. 

Times:

Vancouver 1pm (23rd) /Edmonton 2pm (23rd) /Toronto 4pm (23rd) /UK 9pm (23rd) /Sydney 6am (24th) /Auckland 8am (24th)

March 27th: Patient, Public and Practitioner Partnerships

 

Our chat in March aligns with the ISRRT’s 22^nd Asia-Australasia Conference of Radiological Technologists (AACRT 2019), held in conjunction with the Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy’s 14^th Annual Conference (March 28th – 31st)

The conference theme is Better together, patients professionals and possibilities.

If you’re attending why not join the MRJC meet up for our March session? Details here.

To quote Dr. Leslie Robinson’s March blog partnerships with patients are based on equity and trust and “barriers need to be dismantled and new spaces designed to enable patient and practitioners to engage in dialogue about what matters most”. Join us on the 27th to talk about the advantages (and possible challenges) of partnering with patients.

Themes:

1. What are the benefits of a patient partnership/co-design model of care compared to a paternalistic model of care in radiography?

2. Do you have some examples of how you have used partnerships in your own workplaces?

3. Is the notion of “professional boundaries” outdated in partnership working?

4. What one thing might you be able to change in your own practice to support a move towards partnership working?

 

Additional reading:

Society and College of Radiographers – Patient Public and Practitioner Partnerships within Imaging and Radiotherapy: Guiding Principles, 2018

Ahmad N, et al. Person-centred care: from ideas to action. The Health Foundation, 2014.

Six principles for engaging people and communities. The People and Communities Board, 2016.

Patients Included Charters

Ennis-O’Connor M. A Patient Engagement Manifesto– 6 Principles of Partnership

Missed the chat? Catch up with Wakelet. 

Times:

Vancouver 1pm (27th) /Edmonton 2pm (27th) /Toronto 4pm (27th) /UK 8pm (27th) /Sydney 7am (28th) /Auckland 9am (28th)

February 21st: To shield or not to shield?

February’s paper by Warlow, Walker-Birch and Cosson looks at female paediatric gonadal shielding and concludes it is “neither effective nor beneficial” and recommends that the practice should be abandoned.

Further, is shielding in diagnostic imaging generally “a legacy practice” that should be left in the past? If we opt not to shield, how should we deal with patient questions and concerns?

Join us for a look at this controversial topic and don’t forget to check out this month’s blog by Philip Cosson, one of the authors of our chosen paper:

Warlow, T, Walker-Birch P, Cosson P. Gonad shielding in paediatric pelvic radiography: Effectiveness and practice. Radiography. 20(3); 178-182

Themes:

1. Do you use shielding on your patients? If yes, what exams do you shield for?
3. Does your hospital/clinic/department have a policy around shielding?
2. As a Radiographer do you have the skills to communicate relative dose risk and image optimisation with patients?
4. Are radiographers practicing evidence based care when optimising imaging and dose?

Additional reading:

Marsh R M, Silosky M. Patient Shielding in Diagnostic Imaging: Discontinuing a Legacy Practice. AJR. 1-3.

Frantzen MJ et al. Gonad shielding in paediatric pelvic radiography: disadvantages prevail over benefit. Insights Imaging. 2012 Feb;3(1):23-32

Karami V et al. Gonad Shielding during Pelvic Radiography: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Arch Iran Med. 2017 Feb 1;20(2):113-123.

Missed the chat? Catch up with Wakelet. 

Times: Vancouver 12pm/Edmonton 1pm/Toronto 3pm/UK 8pm (21st)/Sydney 7am/Auckland 9am (22nd)

January 23rd: Dealing with mask anxiety

Patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck and brain cancers often require immobilization to help them keep still during treatment. Going through the process of making and wearing a “safety mask” can be a significant source of  worry for patients. January’s chat looks at the issue of “mask anxiety” and what we can do to help.

Nixon et al. Exploring the prevalence and experience of mask anxiety for the person with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy. 2018. JMRS. 65(4); 282-290.

Now read January’s blog by journalist and head and neck cancer survivor Julie McCrossin: “The Mask and How to Help”

Themes:

1. Julie’s blog this month says that her mask was “the most traumatic aspect” of her treatment. What does it feel like for patients and what factors can contribute to mask anxiety?

2. What measures can we take to help prepare patients before they have a mask made?

3. What strategies do patients and practitioners use to manage mask anxiety before and during radiotherapy?

4. What can we do better? How do you think we can reduce the prevalence of mask anxiety in the future?

Additional reading:

• Dabrowski, J. Grayer, J. A cognitive‐behavioural intervention for head and neck radiotherapy–related panic in a patient with cancer: A case report. 2018. Psycho-Oncology. 27(1); 347-349
• Action Radiotherapy Blog: Connecting Children Through Play (Decorating pediatric masks)
• Goldsworthy SD, Tuke K, Latour JM. A focus group consultation round exploring patient experiences of comfort during radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. J Radiother Pract 2016; 15: 143–9

Times: Vancouver 12pm/Edmonton 1pm/Toronto 3pm/UK 8pm/Sydney 7am (24th)/Auckland 9am (24th)

Missed the chat? See the highlights here

Image: Moffit Cancer Centre