Occupational stress and its predictors in radiographers

Impact of intelligent virtual and AI-based automated collimation functionalities on the efficiency of radiographic acquisitions

INTRODUCTION

Intelligent virtual and AI-based collimation functionalities have the potential to enable an efficient workflow for radiographers, but the specific impact on clinical routines is still unknown. This study analyzes primarily the influence of intelligent collimation functionalities on the examination time and the number of needed interactions with the radiography system.

METHODS

An observational study was conducted on the use of three camera-based intelligent features at five clinical sites in Europe and the USA: AI-based auto thorax collimation (ATC), smart virtual ortho (SVO) collimation for stitched long-leg and full-spine examinations, and virtual collimation (VC) at the radiography system workstation. Two people conducted semi-structured observations during routine examinations to collect data with the functionalities either activated or deactivated.

RESULTS

Median exam duration was 31 vs. 45 s (p < 0.0001) for 95 thorax examinations with ATC and 94 without ATC. For stitched orthopedic examinations, 34 were performed with SVO and 40 without SVO, and the median exam duration was 62 vs. 82 s (p < 0.0001). The median time for setting the ortho range - i.e., the time between setting the upper and the lower limits of the collimation field - was 7 vs. 16 s for 39 examinations with SVO and 43 without SVO (p < 0.0001). In 109 thorax examinations with ATC and 112 without ATC, the median number of system interactions was 1 vs. 2 (p < 0.0001). VC was used to collimate in 2.4% and to check the collimation field in 68.5% of 292 observed chest and other examinations.

CONCLUSION

ATC and SVO enable the radiographer to save time during chest or stitched examinations. Additionally, ATC reduces machine interactions during chest examinations.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

System and artificial intelligence can support the radiographer during the image acquisition by providing a more efficient workflow.

Professional Quality of Life Among Medical Imaging Technologists and Radiologists During COVID-19 Pandemic in India

Background

Professional quality of life is one of the growing concerns among healthcare workers especially during COVID-19 pandemic. Presence and work of radiologist and medical imaging technologist for prolonged hours with patients could be stressful and painful.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the professional quality of life among the radiologist and medical imaging technologist by analyzing professional satisfaction, compassion, and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

An online, cross-sectional, self-reported, and internet-based survey was carried out among 153 radiologists and medical imaging technologists. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the sociodemographic variables and domains of professional quality of life scale. Cronbach's alpha was used to check internal consistency. Independent sample t-test (two-tailed) was used to compare the demographic variables and compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress.

Results

Most participants reported moderate and higher level of compassion satisfaction, whereas moderate burnout and secondary traumatic stress was reported by most participants during COVID-19 pandemic. There was negative correlation between compassion satisfaction and burnout and secondary traumatic stress.

Conclusion

The findings of this study are vital to understand the work-related quality of life among healthcare professionals not only during COVID-19 pandemic but also after the pandemic situation. There is a need to conduct qualitative evaluation to ascertain the risk factors associated with professional quality of life. The study also reflects the need to focus more on the mental health of healthcare professionals not only during and after pandemic situation.

Stress, a reflective self and an internal locus of control: On the everyday clinical placement experiences of older undergraduate radiographers in the UK

INTRODUCTION

Extant evidence indicates that the stresses experienced by younger undergraduate radiographers and their older counterparts vary considerably. Much of this difference has, however, emerged from analyses of the academic component of a radiography degree whereas little work has focused to date upon the specific business of clinical placement. Given this, the research herein reports findings from a qualitative study of how older undergraduate radiography students in the UK assemble their stress and stressors around clinical placement.

METHODS

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed. N = 6 older undergraduate students undergoing their final year placement were purposively recruited from a variety of hospitals. With full institutional ethical approval, a semi-structured interview was conducted with each participant.

RESULTS

Four superordinate themes emerged. These were: (1) Self-identity and perceived competence; (2) Understaffing, instability and affect; (3) Episodic experience and feeling 'thrown-in'; (4) Unpreparedness for the challenging patient. Critically, each theme describes an interaction between stressor, experience of stress and self.

CONCLUSION

While familiar stressors were apparent, the older participating students actively made sense of them in terms of their manageability. This provides a strong contrast with existing literature, which tends to imply a more externalised locus of control among (largely younger) students.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Stress in the NHS is a continuing issue and there is a clear rationale for further investigation to ascertain the level of clinical support available and to determine whether further improvements could assist students on clinical placement. Collaboration between academic institutions and clinical sites would allow open discussion around clinical stress experienced by radiography students, with locus of control a potential point of focus, fostering a proactive partnership approach to stress-management and identification of difficulties before they exacerbate.

Australian radiographers' and radiation therapists' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION

Radiographers and radiation therapists are key patient-facing health practitioners supporting the delivery of optimal patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this research was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on clinical service delivery and well-being of these healthcare professionals in Australia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey of Australian radiographers and radiation therapists was conducted in June-July 2020. The survey collected data on demographic characteristics, and the impact of COVID-19 on professional practice, infection control and workplace-related stress.

RESULTS

A total of 218 responses were received. Changes in work hours (P < 0.001) and workload (P = 0.022) were experienced due to COVID-19. Diagnostic radiographers reported increased procedural pressure on mobile radiography, computed tomography and general radiography. For radiation therapists, most pressure included areas of simulation and linear accelerator. PPE was in short supply at the start of the pandemic, and at the time of the study, shortages were identified for all PPE items. There was no difference in PPE supply reported by diagnostic radiographers and radiation therapists except for hand sanitiser (P = 0.003). Respondents experienced increased personal stress (61.4%) and anxiety (58.2%) at work due to COVID-19. In addition, their work caused increased stress to their family, partners or friends (57.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

COVID-19 has resulted in changes to clinical working patterns and service delivery. PPE shortages, as well as increased workplace-related stress, were identified. Workplaces should seek to mitigate the pandemic impact through the provision of adequate PPE for safe practice as well as implement strategies to support and enhance staff well-being.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health and work morale of radiographers within a conventional X-ray department

INTRODUCTION

There is a plethora of literature that has described the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare staff worldwide. Our aim was to investigate the physical and mental demands of mobile x-ray imaging on radiographers during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, within a local NHS Trust.

METHODS

A total of 16 participants from 1 NHS Trust took part within this study. Both quantitative and qualitative data was obtained through an online survey. Statistical data was obtained via the Trust Radiology Information System (RIS). Data was gathered for the thirteen weeks from 23rd March to 21st June 2020 (the first wave); direct comparison was made to the same period in 2019.

RESULTS

Three key themes emerged from the data. These include mental health challenges/work morale in Radiology, demand of mobile imaging and departmental and Trust-wide mental health support. Results indicate a high demand in mobile imaging which has made a significant difference in the working life of some radiographers.

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the mental health of a proportion of radiographers at this Trust. Results indicate high workload and demand in mobile imaging has made a significant difference to the working life of radiographers, specifically the ones who were relatively newly qualified.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Two key interventions are proposed from this study. The first one is to provide and promote mental health support within radiology departments. The second is to encourage dual working on mobile x-ray examinations to help manage the emotional and physical burden.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiography practice: findings from a UK radiography workforce survey

OBJECTIVES

Radiographers are key patient-facing healthcare professionals involved in many aspects of patient care. The working patterns and professional practice of the radiography workforce (RW) has been altered during the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on radiography practice in the United Kingdom (UK).

METHODS

An online cross-sectional survey of the UK RW was performed (March 25th to April 26th, 2020). The survey sought information regarding 1. Demographics 2. Impact of the pandemic on professional practice 3. Infection prevention/control and 4. COVID-19 related stress. Data collected was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (v.26).

RESULTS

A total of 522 responses were received, comprising n = 412 (78.9%) diagnostic and n = 110 (21.1%) therapeutic RW categories from across the UK. 12.5% (65/522) of the respondents were redeployed. Redeployment did not appear to contribute (p = 0.31) to work-related stress. However, fear of contracting the infection and perceived inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) were identified as key contributors to stress during the study period. Compared to the therapeutic RW, a significantly higher proportion of the diagnostic RW identified fear of being infected as a major stressor (166/412 (40.3%) vs 30/110 (27.3%), p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

This survey has demonstrated changes to clinical practice, in particular to working patterns, service delivery and infection prevention and control were key contributors to workplace-related stress during the pandemic.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

Timely and adequate staff training and availability of PPE as well as psychosocial support during future pandemics would enhance quality patient and staff safety.

The Status of Occupational Stress and Its Influence the Quality of Life of Copper-Nickel Miners in Xinjiang, China

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of occupational stress and its influence on the quality of life of copper-nickel miners, in order to provide a theoretical basis for alleviating occupational stress to improve their quality of life. Stratified cluster sampling and a self-administered questionnaire survey were used. The Effort⁻Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire and the SF-36 (36-Item Short Form) health survey scale were administered to all 2000 miners registered with a copper-nickel mining human resources department and who had been on duty for more than one year. In total, 1857 valid questionnaires were collected, with a response rate of 92.85%. The percentage of the copper-nickel miners suffering from occupational stress was 42.65%. A statistically significant difference was observed in relation to the prevalence of occupational stress among miners of different genders, ages, education levels, and operating units. The occupational stress detection rate was higher for males than females. Miners aged between 30 and 34 years exhibited the highest level of occupational stress compared to other age groups. Those with a junior college education exhibited the highest rate of occupational stress compared to those with other levels of education. Those working in the smelting unit exhibited the highest rate of occupational stress compared to those working in other operational units. Those classified as experiencing stress (an ERI score >1) had lower quality of life scores than miners classified as not experiencing stress (an ERI score ≤1). The results show that level of education, monthly income, and degree of occupational stress affect quality of life among copper-nickel miners. It was found that older age, lower income, higher education level, and higher degree of occupational stress were factors related to poorer quality of life. Copper-nickel miners have high levels of occupational stress, and occupational stress is a risk factor that can diminish quality of life.

Work-related ill-health in radiographers

Background

In the UK in 2015/16, 1.3 million workers self-reported a work-related illness (WRI) of which an estimated 41% were due to musculoskeletal disorders (incidence rate 550 cases per 100000 people) and 37% were related to stress, anxiety and depression. Little is known about the incidence of WRIs in radiographers.

Aims

To analyse the medically reported incidence of WRIs among radiographers in the UK between 1989 and 2015.

Methods

Incident cases reported by physicians to The Health and Occupation Research (THOR) network through its specialist schemes from 1989 to 2015 were analysed, using the Labour Force Survey as denominator where appropriate.

Results

In total, 218 cases (966 estimated cases) were reported. Of these 190 were in women. The mean age was 40.2 (20-91 years) SD ± 11.8 years. Most cases were reported to the Occupational Physicians Reporting Activity (OPRA) scheme (n = 92). A skin diagnosis was the most frequently reported (n = 77), followed by musculoskeletal (n = 60). Within the EPIDERM scheme, radiographers had the highest incidence rate when compared to all other occupations.

Conclusions

Radiographers had a higher incidence of WRI compared to all other occupations. The most frequently reported WRI was skin conditions. The observed increase in incidence is likely to be due to the increase in the number of radiographers over that time period, although there was no evidence that WRI within radiographers are declining.

Occupational stress among hospital nurses: cross-sectional survey

AIM

This paper is a report of a study conducted to explore factors associated with occupational stress among female hospital nurses in China.

BACKGROUND

Nursing is a highly stressful occupation, and high levels of occupational stress are believed to affect the physical and mental health of nurses. Occupational stress among nurses is the result of exposure to a combination of working environment and personal factors.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2008. The study population consisted of 2613 female nurses from 20 hospitals in the Liaoning province of China. Occupational stress was measured by questionnaires that included the Chinese version of Personal Strain Questionnaire, and data were collected on respondents' demographics, working situations, occupational roles, and personal resources. Of the nurses solicited for enrolment in the study, 79.2% returned the completed questionnaire. A general linear regression model was applied to analyse the factors associated with occupational stress.

RESULTS

Mean Personal Strain Questionnaire score was 86.9, and this score was correlated, in descending order of standardized estimate, with role boundary, role insufficiency, responsibility, social support, self-care, nurse-patient relationship, chronic disease, role overload, rational coping and night shift.

CONCLUSION

Role boundary and role insufficiency were the factors that had the highest association with occupational stress. Occupational health education and occupational training programmes may be necessary to improve the knowledge and ability of nurses to cope with job demands and reduce occupational stress.

Factors associated with occupational stress among Chinese doctors: a cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVES

Doctors constitute the main workforce in hospitals and are known to experience occupational stress. High level of stress is believed to affect doctors' physical and mental health. Thus, it is essential to study doctors' occupational stress well to improve their quality of lives. The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with occupational stress among Chinese doctors in public hospitals.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted during the period of May/June 2008. The study population comprised 1989 doctors registered and working in the 20 national hospitals in Liaoning province, China. A questionnaire pertaining to occupational stress that was assessed based on the Chinese Version Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ), demographic characteristics, work situations, occupational roles, and personal resources was distributed to these doctors. A total of 1,587 effective respondents (673 men, 914 women) became our subjects (effective response rate 79.8%). The general linear model (GLM) was employed to explore the factors related to occupational stress. All data analysis was performed separately in men and women.

RESULTS

The average PSQ score was 86.92 in the total study population, 89.4 in men and 85.1 in women among Chinese doctors. GLM showed that PSQ was significantly associated with, in standard estimate (beta) sequence, role boundary, role insufficiency, responsibility, social support, rational/cognitive coping, doctor-patient relationship and role overload in men; whereas with role insufficiency, role boundary, social support, responsibility, self-care, role overload, education, chronic disease, and doctor-patient relationship in women.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the major factors associated with occupational stress differed between male and female doctors in China. Overall, role boundary and role insufficient were the most crucial factors in male and female doctors, respectively. Therefore, occupational health education and occupational training programs with the purpose to improve doctor's knowledge and ability to copy with their task should be considered to lessen occupational stress among Chinese doctors.