An international effort is underway to develop new e-learning resources specifically for radiographers who are caring for patients with Covid-19.
Materials will include:
- Minimising risk (infection control, PPE and barrier nursing, effective communication)
- Ward radiography and radiation protection (safe use of mobile equipment, optimising images, patient and radiographer safety)
- Radiographic procedure (preparation for the procedure, protentional x-ray of the chest, post-examination)
- Image review and reporting (10-point plan to assess images, interpret the image, identify additional imaging)
The College of Radiographers is working in partnership with the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT), the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS), and Health Education England e-Learning for Healthcare (HEE e-LfH).
Peter Hogg, professor of radiography at Salford University and Ken Holmes, senior lecturer at the University of Cumbria, are co-ordinating a team of radiographers and radiography leaders from the UK, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Malta, Singapore, Switzerland, and the USA, who have volunteered their time and expertise to contribute.
"Across the world radiographers are being deployed to do imaging procedures they may not be fully up to date with and in unfamiliar risky settings where personal protective equipment (PPE) is needed," Peter Hogg said.
"Access to training and advice about practice and PPE varies between countries and a standardised approach is needed."
Dorothy Keane, the CoR's image interpretation clinical lead, commented, "EFRS, ISRRT, CoR, and e-LfH will collaborate to help address this need, starting with the provision of e-learning and support mechanisms for radiographers to upskill or reskill, in particular for mobile chest radiography."
Charlotte Beardmore, the SCoR's director of professional policy said, "The College is pleased to be supporting this important e-learning resource for the radiography profession worldwide during the Covid-19 pandemic. We welcome this international collaboration and thank the HEE e-LfH team for enabling this resource to be made rapidly available through the e-learning platform to radiographers globally."
The content will be available to all free of charge via the Coronavirus Covid-19 programme, in the UK and internationally.
The materials will also be available on the ISRRT website, along with webinars and specialist support.