RTS2001 - Professional practice in radiation therapy - 2019

This unit is designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore the role of the radiation therapist and the role of the multidisciplinary team in radiation therapy.

Students will investigate what constitutes appropriate professional behaviour in the health care setting and they will become familiar with use of appropriate medical terminology.

Students will also investigate and demonstrate occupational health and safety, radiation safety, infection control and manual handling principles.

The unit will support students to develop an awareness of cultural and communication competence, and allow students to begin to understand and articulate some of the challenges faced by the diverse range of patients being treated in radiation therapy centres.

Cancer management strategies will be introduced to students and the concept of reflective practice will be introduced with a variety of models of reflection.

This unit introduces students to the clinical radiation therapy environment in the format of a short clinical orientation.

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Describe the specific needs of cancer patients and outline a range of cancer management strategies
2. Describe and apply the principles of radiation safety, quality management, occupational health and safety and organisational policy related to radiation therapy practice.
3. Describe the process of reflective practice and demonstrate critical reflection on experience
4. Explain and apply communication principles and techniques related to radiation therapy practice.
5. Determine the influence of socio-cultural factors on patient attitudes and responses to radiation therapy
6. Evaluate the principles of multidisciplinary team working and apply these to radiation therapy and wider health care practice

Two days of clinical orientation in a radiation therapy centre allocated by the Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences.

• iSAP clinical action plan (2000 words) and iSAP comparative report (500 words) (35%)
• 3 x 30 minute online moodle quizzes (10%)
• 2x 500 word reflective portfolio pivotal incident reports (10%)
• 2 hour end of semester written exam (45%)

Hurdle requirement:

• 80% attendance at tutorials
• 100% attendance at clinical orientation days
• Students must pass each element of assessment to pass the unit

Three hours per week contact hours, plus nine hours per week private study. Students will attend a one hour lecture and a two hour tutorial weekly.

See also Unit timetable information

Radiography and medical imaging

Radiation sciences