Whiting & Birch (E-Journals)
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The impact of a massive open online course on levels of awareness of patient centred care in UK-based diagnostic radiographers.
Full text linkIntroduction
The new Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Proficiency for Radiographers have significantly increased the focus on patient care by centralising the role of the service user (HCPC, 2023). However, recent research has found that many barriers exist to patient centred care (PCC) within imaging departments (Hayre et al, 2016; Hyde & Hardy, 2021a; Hyde & Hardy, 2021b; Hyde & Hardy, 2021c), including continued high demand for imaging examinations, departmental pressures for greater efficiency, and budget constraints. To support diagnostic radiographers to take a more PCC approach, a massive open online course (MOOC) was developed in 2021. The MOOC was designed to support clinical radiographers, and other members of the imaging department team, to increase their awareness, and use, of PCC approaches. To assess the impact of the MOOC an evaluation was carried out in the 2022/23 academic year to measure levels of awareness of PCC in a group of diagnostic radiographers in the UK, before and after completing the MOOC.
Methods
Ethical approval was obtained from University of XXXXX (ETH2223-0177) and University of XXXXX (RETH(S)22/034) for the evaluation. Participants were diagnostic radiographers working in clinical practice in the United Kingdom (UK). Participants were invited to take part in the evaluation and complete the MOOC via email and social media promoted by academic colleagues from four UK Universities who deliver diagnostic radiography education. Survey data were collected using a Microsoft Forms survey tool as advocated by Braun et al. (2020). Data was analysed using thematic analysis methods as advocated by Braun and Clarke (2006, 2019). Once the themes were identified, basic descriptions were developed and repeated phrases that best described the themes were agreed.
Results
The evaluation was advertised and open for participation for radiographers for eight weeks between February 2023 and April 2023. Twenty-nine diagnostic radiographers completed survey 1 (the pre-MOOC survey) and went on to complete the MOOC. Only six radiographers completed the MOOC and both surveys. Anecdotal feedback from potential participants who did not complete all elements of the evaluation suggested was that this was due to workload pressures, and low morale. Despite the low completion rate, it was felt that the data would be valuable to understand attitudes towards and engagement with PCC.
Discussion
The response rate to the evaluation was disappointing. Anecdotal feedback from potential participants, and those that started but did not complete the MOOC, suggests that workload pressures and low morale were contributory factors to both the low response and poor completion rate. However, it is important to remember that there was considerable interest in completing the first survey, and that the MOOC has been completed by over 1000 learners (figure correct as of 4th August 2023) to date. This shows that there is an interest in PCC within the UK diagnostic radiography community. The evaluation team are committed to finding ways to reach radiographers who are interested in PCC and supporting them to complete the MOOC.
Conclusion
Whilst the rate of participation in this evaluation was disappointing, it is heartening to see the number of learners completing the MOOC steadily increasing. The evaluation team will continue to promote the MOOC as a valuable continuing professional development activity for staff working in an imaging department.
 
An investigation into when and how to train medical students for the most effective learning of non-technical skills: A qualitative study
Full text linkThis study aimed to explore the undergraduate level at which the non-technical skills (NTS) should be taught. The objectives were to explore teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of simulation for NTS training and designing NTS simulation sessions to achieve student competence. A qualitative design was adopted, by interviewing 30 teachers and then using 5 focused group discussions for data triangulation and confirmation of responses. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyse the data by focusing on the ideas, experiences, opinions and meanings presented by the participants. Most of the participants strongly believed in the benefits of teaching NTS from pre-clinical years. Teachers’ consensus was to train students in communication, situation awareness, teamwork and leadership skills from pre-clinical years. However decision-making and stress management were agreed to be trained from clinical years as they require clinical knowledge. The use of simulation was found to be most effective for training among other methods like didactic sessions, case-based discussions and video-assisted learning. Simulation sessions integrating technical and NTS, fewer learning outcomes and effective debriefing were considered advantageous for effective learning. Simulation-based education using a spiral curriculum approach, starting training from pre-clinical years and gradually increasing difficulty through intricate exercises in clinical years can be suggested to achieve the desired competence of NTS
‘Hidden epidemic’ of neurological deaths in the major Western nations in the 21st Century: Exploring multiple- interactive environmental causes
Full text link In the first international comparative study of neurological mortality, which found that between 1989 and 1997, and based on the latest WHO available data, twelve of the twenty-one Western countries had substantial increases in neurological deaths (Pritchard et al., 2004) and by 2021 every-one of the twenty-one Western nations had significant rises in neurological deaths (Pritchard et al., 2013, 2017). In this new study presented here, we use WHO data (WHO, 2020) and the ONS (ONS, 2022) data for England and Wales up to 2020. Previously, increases have been assumed largely due to demography and improved accurate diagnostics (the Gompertzian hypothesis). Our results challenge the idea that the increases are mainly due to demography. We explore the multi-interactive environmental factors that have probably contributed to the rising neurological morbidity, ranging from petrochemicals, organophosphates, endocrine-disruptive chemicals, food additives, plastics, heavy metals in water and human breast milk
Nexus between social work and environmental sustainability
No full textThe United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development declared environmental problems as social problems. Over the years, the social work profession, although governed by the ‘person-in-environment’ principle, has long neglected the natural environment and progressively assumed the significance of environmental issues in the social intervention context. In this article, we first describe the environmental context for human life, followed by a narrative review of existing research on understanding environmental sustainability and its relationship with social work. This is supported by an explanation of the current global climate change situation and the utilization of sustainable development goals which are directly associated with environmental sustainability. In order to arrive at the conclusion, social work before environmental sustainability in the UK context and Hamilton’s psychosocial casework are also discussed. It can help social workers broaden and strengthen practices by incorporating the realm of ecology and the environment in the social work field
Epistemological ruptures: Digital presence and group work
Full text linkThe Covid-19 pandemic has been an epistemological rupture for social work. Research is beginning to examine and articulate the practice knowledge that has arisen as a result of the pandemic. This article is based on a social work placement at a community-based, rural hospice, that occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic. This article focuses on virtual social work and group work, and discusses ethics, the digital divide, and social presence
‘We capture their comments before we leave the station’: Service User Involvement in the Delivery of Appropriate Adult Schemes
Full text linkThe concept of participation is now widely accepted in healthcare and social services, but is less apparent in the delivery of services for vulnerable people who encounter the Criminal Justice System and its associated agencies (Buck et al, 2020). This article considers the extent to which children and ‘vulnerable’ adults who have been detained in police custody are currently able to actively participate in the design and delivery of Appropriate Adult Schemes. This paper draws together responses from 43 services in England and Wales concerning levels of service user engagement to ascertain the current level of participation, and to make recommendations for the future. The paper applies Forbat, et al.'s (2009) models of service user involvement to conceptualise ideological drivers which underpin the Appropriate Adult Scheme's commitment to involvement. The data reveal that while there is a genuine desire to improve service user participation, that institutional, financial, and attitudinal barriers mean that participation either does not occur or is at a very cursory level
Non-kinship foster care in Nigeria: Socioeconomic and demographic drivers of mothers’ willingness to foster
No full textResearch in Africa indicates an increasing number of children needing a secure and stable alternative family environment, yet the commonly used kinship care system is insufficient to meet this need requiring the support of non-kinship care. This study examined the socioeconomic and demographic drivers of willingness to foster non-kin children among mothers in Nigeria. Data from 779 mothers of children ages 2-10 were analyzed using Pearson correlation matrix and linear regression analysis to examine the associations among socioeconomic/demographic characteristics and willingness to foster. Attributes of the mothers such as region, neighborhood (rural or urban), education, occupation, and age are some determinants of willingness to foster, which also varies across children with special needs, diversity, and under six. Efforts to improve non-kinship foster care in Nigeria should consider mothers’ socioeconomic and demographic attributes when seeking to attract foster parents. The findings of this study provide implications for research, social work practice, and education in Nigeria and Africa
Pour une pratique inclusive de la diversité en travail social de groupe : repères théoriques et méthodologiques
No full text La question de la diversité suscite de plus en plus d’intérêt dans les écrits en travail social de groupe et elle est abordée principalement soit selon des modèles théoriques particuliers soit selon la composition du groupe et ses effets sur le processus. Après le rappel de repères théoriques pour définir et conceptualiser la diversité, cet article présente les principes d’intervention associés à une pratique inclusive de la diversité. Il conclut en explorant les limites du concept, tout en mettant en relief ses potentialités.The issue of diversity is increasingly discussed within the literature on social work with groups, in particular in relation to specific theoretical models and to group composition. This article situates diversity and presents some guidelines for an inclusive groupwork practice. It discusses how diversity is defined and conceptualized, highlighting its limits and its potential.
