The emerging radiographer's transient community service professional career pathway.

Bonita B Johnson,Willem A Hoffmann,Chandra R Makanjee

doi:10.4102/hsag.v24i0.1280

Bonita B Johnson, Willem A Hoffmann + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v24i0.1280

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Abstract

BackgroundPost-qualification regulatory 12-month community service (CS) was implemented in South Africa in 1998. Since the implementation, studies have been conducted in various disciplines to measure the impact on health services and on the affected professionals, but these did not include radiography professionals.AimThis study explored the expectations and experiences of student radiographers in respect of the CS concept as an integral transitional career pathway from the student radiographer role to that of a provisional practitioner in transit to acquiring registered radiographer practitioner status.Research methodsThe research design entailed a qualitative exploratory approach using a longitudinal data collection approach. That is, data collection from the purposefully selected student radiographers’ focus group discussions, as well as from placement institutions’ qualified professionals and managers, formed the triangulated data sources. In addition, individual interviews were conducted post-placement until data and thematic saturation had been reached. Tesch’s (1990) method was used for the data interpretation and analysis.ResultsThe themes that emerged reflected the preparedness of these students to fulfil the requirements, their experiences of their anticipated placement institution, preparedness for their roles and responsibilities and uncertainties about their readiness for the actual encounter. A golden thread throughout was critical self-reflection on their ability, adaptability and capability to meet the requirements of the system, namely the community placement institutions and appeasing the Department of Health.ConclusionThe study illustrates, by means of a framework, the student radiographers’ journey in transit to acquiring eligibility as registered radiography practitioners in a regulated career pathway.

Highlights

Given the contemporary evolving nature of imaging technology that impacts the way diagnostic imaging services are delivered, as well as the increased global demand for these imaging services, coping with the demand supply chain involves the upkeep of radiography practice (Sloane & Miller 2017)
The aim of this study was to generate insights into emerging radiography professionals undertaking three transient professional role changes as they journeyed through their community service (CS) from pre- to post-placement, and to explore community placement site professionals’ expectations and experiences of these emerging professionals transitioning to acquiring a registered professional radiographer practitioner
In the initial intermediate transient phase, the novice professional is trying to make sense of the anticipated changed professional identity and at the same token deal with the ‘blurred’ role and responsibilities (Ryan & Carmichael 2016), finding themselves ‘in the between spaces’. In this space from the student to the provisional practitioner role, the expectation was in a short space of time to make a timely, and an effective decision on a CS placement site, which may not be successful (Laschinger et al 2016) and making these professionals vulnerable

Summary

Introduction

Given the contemporary evolving nature of imaging technology that impacts the way diagnostic imaging services are delivered, as well as the increased global demand for these imaging services, coping with the demand supply chain involves the upkeep of radiography practice (Sloane & Miller 2017). In South Africa, a regulatory requirement of a 1-year period of community service (CS) for health professionals was implemented in 1998 for medical providers (Bhengu 2006) and in 2003 for allied healthcare professionals. That entails an allocated 12-month period of mandatory service in public institutions on completion of their formal training, in a CS provisional practitioner role. Thereafter, they become eligible to register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a professional practitioner. Post-qualification regulatory 12-month community service (CS) was implemented in South Africa in 1998. Studies have been conducted in various disciplines to measure the impact on health services and on the affected professionals, but these did not include radiography professionals

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