ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: In response to increasing student enrolment and workload pressures from the Covid-19 pandemic, a recent focus on health student preparation programs has been on curricula adaptations and replacement of clinical placement time with alternative education activities. The aim of the narrative review was to explore the current evidence relating to education activities in Medical Radiation Sciences (MRS) used to replace clinical placements or part of clinical placements. Medline, CINAHL and Web of Science databases were used to search for articles published between 2017 and 2022. Data from the literature was summarised into (1) planning and development of clinical replacement learning activities in MRS, (2) evaluation of clinical replacement activities, and (3) benefits and challenges of clinical replacement in MRS. KEY FINDINGS: Planning and development of clinical replacement learning activities in MRSrequires support from a wide range of stakeholders, and evidence from activities already implemented exists. Activities largely encompass an institution-specific focus. Developed clinical replacement activities use a blended approach, with simulation-based education (SBE) as a main teaching platform. Evaluation of clinical replacement activities are largely focused on students' achievement of learning objectives relating to practical and communication skills. Emerging evidence based on small student samples shows that clinical and clinical replacement activities provide similar results in terms of learning objectives. CONCLUSION: Benefits and challenges of clinical replacement in MRS are similar to those presented in the other health professions. The balance between quality and quantity of teaching and learning experiences for clinical skill development in MRS needs to be further investigated. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: To meet the dynamic challenges of the health care environment and MRS profession, a major goal in the future will be to affirm the benefit of clinical replacement activities for MRS students.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemics , Humans , Learning , Students , CurriculumABSTRACT
Methods: Reiki Medic-Care is a non-profit organization that provides remote Reiki to National Health Service healthcare professionals in the UK. Healthcare professionals (e.g., physicians, nurses) negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic were eligible to sign up for the Reiki program and were invited to participate in the research study. Each participant was assigned eight Reiki practitioners who gave them remote Reiki for 20 minutes for four consecutive days. Participants' stress, anxiety, pain, sleep quality and overall wellbeing were evaluated with 7-point numerical rating scales based on the Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile-based questionnaire. Measures were completed online when signing up to receive Reiki (pre) and following the final Reiki session (post). Pre and post data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed ranks tests. Results: Seventy-nine healthcare professionals agreed to be in the study and provided baseline survey data (pre), and N = 40 participants completed both pre and post. Participants were 97% female and mean age was 43.9 years old (21-64 years). Healthcare professional participants included nurses (n = 15;37%), physicians (n = 14;35%), and other clinical staff such as therapists or patient care assistants (n = 11;28%). Statistically significant improvements in stress (p < .001, d = .634), anxiety (p < .001, d = .698), pain (p < .001, d = .630), wellbeing (p < .001, d = .578), and sleep (p = .019, d = .371) were observed from pre to post. Background: To conduct a pragmatic effectiveness trial of a Reiki program for healthcare professionals who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The Reiki program for healthcare professionals demonstrates preliminary effectiveness for improving stress, anxiety, pain, wellbeing, and sleep in frontline healthcare workers in the UK impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research will include a larger sample size and longterm follow-up.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To conduct a pragmatic effectiveness trial of a Reiki program for healthcare professionals negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Reiki Medic-Care is a non-profit organization that provides remote Reiki to National Health Service (NHS) healthcare professionals in the UK. Healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, and ambulance paramedics) whose physical and/or mental health had been negatively impacted by COVID-19 were eligible to sign up for the Reiki program and were also invited to participate in the research study. Each participant was assigned eight certified, licensed, and fully insured Reiki practitioners who gave them 20 minutes of remote Reiki for four consecutive days. Participants' stress, anxiety, pain, sleep quality and overall wellbeing were evaluated with 7-point numerical rating scales based on the Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile-based (MYMOP) questionnaire. Measures were completed by participants online when signing up to receive Reiki (pre) and the day following the final Reiki session (post). Participants were also asked to give written feedback about the sessions at post. Results: Twenty healthcare professionals agreed to be in the study and provided some survey data (pre or post), and of those, seventeen participants completed both the pre and post survey (85% retention). All participants were female. Paired samples t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements in stress (p=.001, d=1.06), anxiety (p=.001, d=.94), pain (p=.003, d=.86), and wellbeing (p=.029, d=.61) from pre to post. There were no significant differences in sleep quality (p=.150, d=.37). Participants also provided positive feedback about the program, including feeling more relaxed, calm, and resilient. Conclusion: The Reiki program for healthcare professionals demonstrates preliminary effectiveness for improving stress, anxiety, pain and wellbeing in frontline healthcare workers negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection is ongoing, and future research will include a larger sample size and long-term follow-up.