Word limit: 2500 words
Care Assignment/e-portfolio
Putting the person at the centre of care in the imaging department during a Covid-19 pandemic. Exploring the role of the radiographer in ensuring patients’ are treated as people with rights and maintaining their dignity whilst safely undertaking high quality diagnostic imaging procedures.
Writing Your Assignment
Write a critical reflection of the role of the radiographer in ensuring that every patient is treated as a person with their own personality and desire to be treated with respect and maintaining their dignity. People do not wish to become patients, but this is how they present to the radiographer who consider their signs and symptoms and decide on the most appropriate imaging procedure. Radiographers always consider the patient as a person, however during the current Covid-19 pandemic it is necessary to use a protective layer of infection prevention and control measures which inevitably distance them from the person who is in their care.
Due the high number of patient interactions and the use of technology, radiographers face considerable challenges in humanizing their patient interactions. On a day to day basis, how can and how do, radiographers personalize their approach to patient care during imaging procedures putting the person at the centre of their care whilst using imaging technology?
Your work might consider a range of imaging specialities or one area of practice specifically. You may reflect on good practice you observe, or you might consider a more theoretical approach. Both options must utilize published material to support your discussion and critical evaluation of observed practice.
Below are some suggested crucial points of care. This is not a required list of subject heading and it is not a complete list.
• Background: what is Covid-19, what is a pandemic? professional practice and professional identity; the person as a patient.
• Infection prevention and control in the imaging department. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Who are we protecting?
• Managers and team leads are crucial, what is their role in every imaging procedure?
• The arrival of the person who is your patient and members of their supportive bubble
• Approaching the patient: formal first contact (gaining a positive identification); connecting with the person and their carers; gaining their confidence
• Preparing the imaging room; patient preparation; movement; and positioning
• In a diverse society and a Covid environment, implementing effective communication throughout their visit to the imaging department
• The role of a carer
• Consent and gaining consent as a process
• Patient rights and patient dignity; ensuring effective, compassionate communication
• At the end of the procedure: completing the encounter with the patient and carer; safe and purposeful departure; completing infection prevention and control measures
• Radiographers reflection and counselling for their own mental and physical well being
• Conclusion and recommendations
It is essential that this is an evidence based discussion of the issues and conclusions. Therefore use of published material, particularly peer reviewed research, is required to substantiate your analysis of the problems and solutions. Specific resources on the subjects of this assignment are available in Canvas.
You should not use references from websites which contains material aimed at the general public. This includes, for example, charity websites or support groups (such as Aged UK or Dementia UK), or NHS Choices.
For example, we can talk about that we do portable x-ray in the current situation for COVID-19 patients which we go to them and this impact to the quality of the imaging and the pathway of the patient treatment. Also, when we do portable x-ray, to prepare them for x-ray might we need some help to get them gown on it and might other staffs be there then we can talk about dignity, privacy of the patient.
We also face to people with difficulties like Dementia, deaf, Autism or blind people which with covering a face mask is making difficult. Does the patient allow to bring the cares to the room? (carers have a massive roll and usually dementia people do not like strangers and different environment.
Also, we can mention that we have masks on they won’t be able to see our smiley face or with the apron won’t be able to read our name or see our photograph in our badge.
Seen the patients that has not been asked to wear a mask however the masks are the way to protect us, patients, next patients and their bubble-like carers.
Also, we can talk about the role of the manager or leads to ensure infect protection controlled is right and the people are trained perfectly.
Mental and health well being of the radiographer staffs due to current situation and excesses of the work and hours.
