Abstract
PURPOSE: To explore the impact of specialisation and new ways of working within radiotherapy on the skills and job satisfaction of radiotherapy treatment radiographers. METHOD: An interpretive approach was utilised in order to explore perceptions, views and opinions of radiotherapy radiographers and to examine the ‘real world’ as experienced by these professionals. Sample The study involved three radiotherapy departments and a non-random, purposive method was employed explicitly selecting participants who would generate the required data for the study. The sample consisted of twelve therapeutic radiographers, estimated as 15% of the total available population for the study. These radiographers were of a range of grades and years post qualification and identified by their managers as having non-specialist roles within their departments. Semi-structured, face to face interviews were used and thematic content analysis applied to analyse transcript data. RESULTS: The study revealed a significant correlation between job satisfaction and valence of radiographers working within traditional professional boundaries. This was predominant in staff whose expectations were for vocational rather than for professional rewards. Of particular significance was the identification of reframing tendencies among radiographers whose expectations and valence were not aligned with personal experience. Skills and abilities of specialist radiographers were recognised and acknowledged. However, an increasing reliance on specialist roles, as a consequence of workload pressures, prompted expressions of fear for loss of established skills among non-specialist staff. CONCLUSION: There was evidence of a perception of devaluation of the traditional role of radiotherapy treatment radiographer with consequential issues for retention of more experienced staff. Managers need to address the implications of this issue in order to avoid a potential and significant impact on patient care and service delivery. This study highlights the need to move away from the current emphasis on role development to a more balanced rhetoric, raising managers' awareness of the needs of non-specialist staff.
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