Continuing professional development opinions and challenges experienced by radiographers in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

Abstract

Background. Continuing professional development (CPD) was introduced as a method to ensure that healthcare professionals continuously update their knowledge and skills. In South Africa (SA), CPD has been adopted as a mandatory requirement by the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) for all registered healthcare professionals. However, despite CPD being mandatory, a number of healthcare professionals nationally are still non-compliant. Hence, research was conducted to determine the reasons for non-compliance. Objective. To identify the opinions and challenges related to CPD compliance by radiographers working in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province, SA. Methods. A positivist paradigm and cross-sectional research design were used. The methodology was quantitative and the measuring instrument was a survey questionnaire. The majority of questions were closed-ended and a few were open-ended. The latter questions allowed participants to make suggestions and give opinions freely. Radiographers from all four disciplines in radiography, working in KZN, were included in this study. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 23.0 (IBM Corp., USA). Open-ended questions were assessed qualitatively by means of coding and thematic analysis. Results. This study revealed that the two most common challenges experienced by KZN radiographers were lack of time and the inability to attend CPD activities owing to shift work. The majority of participants acknowledged the importance of CPD; however, most indicated engagement with CPD only because of mandatory requirements by the HPCSA. This could imply a need to review the effectiveness of the current CPD processes. Conclusion. In a profession such as radiography, which is constantly evolving and progressing, the need for CPD is indisputable. It is evident from the findings of this study that KZN radiographers acknowledge the importance and value of CPD in their profession. However, they experience a number of challenges that negatively affect their CPD participation. These challenges need to be addressed to ensure that the aim of CPD is achieved.