Occupational burnout among radiation therapists in Australia: Findings from a mixed methods study.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence demonstrates that health care professionals in the palliative care context are more burned out than other health professionals. The aims of this study were to examine: (1) occupational burnout levels among radiation therapists in Australia, (2) association between demographic factors on burnout and (3) radiation therapists' perceptions of burnout. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey including the Maslach Burnout Inventory was administered to Radiation Therapists in Australia. Data were analysed using SPSS Ver 20 and open ended comments were analysed thematically using Nvivo 10. RESULTS: A total of 200 radiation therapists participated in the survey. RTs had a high mean (±SD) burnout score for emotional exhaustion (38.5 ± 8.2), depersonalisation (17.5 ± 4.7) and personal achievement (30.5.3 ± 4.3) compared to RTs and health workers in other studies. High levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and low levels of personal achievement were present in 93% (186/200), 87% (174/200) and 61% (122/200) of participants respectively. RTs identified high workload and staff shortages, interpersonal conflict and technology as key sources of stress in the RT work environment. CONCLUSION: Australian RTs' level of burnout on all three stages of burnout exceed previously reported burnout levels for similar cohorts both locally and internationally. It is important that future interventions aimed at minimising or preventing stressors are identified and implemented in the radiation therapy work environment.

Differences in attitudes regarding teaching and research orientations between allied health faculty and administrators in academic health centers.

The congruence between faculty's and administrators' attitudes toward teaching, research, and the rewards associated with them has implications for the practices the groups follow and for the decisions they make related to promotion, tenure, and merit. This article reports the findings from a national study of allied health faculty and administrators at public academic health centers regarding their attitudes toward teaching, research, and the reward systems related to both. The administrators and faculty at the participating academic health centers did not differ in their views regarding research orientation and rewards related to research. The faculty, including tenured and tenure-track, and department chairs indicated a higher teaching orientation than did the deans, while tenure-track faculty expressed less belief that rewards influence teaching than did tenured faculty, department chairs, and deans.

Deterrents to R.T. continuing education.

Constant changes in medicine and technology make continuing education (CE) vitally important for radiologic technologists. Understanding what deters radiographers from participating in CE may help improve CE programs. This article reports on a survey of deterrents to CE participation among radiographers. Results revealed that cost was the leading deterrent, followed closely by work constraints. In addition, certificate-level radiographers found lack of quality to be a significantly higher deterrent than did radiographers with an associate degree.

Predictors of organizational commitment among certified occupational therapy assistants.

The purpose of this correlational research study was to provide insights into specific extrinsic organizational rewards, extrinsic social rewards, and intrinsic rewards that lead to certified occupational therapy assistants' (COTA) organizational commitment, and how managers and recruiters can utilize this knowledge in developing more effective COTA recruitment and retention strategies. The target population for this investigation included COTAs who worked full-time in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia and were members of the American Occupational Therapy Association. Findings from this study indicated that predictors of COTAs' organizational commitment were determined by intrinsically rewarding job tasks that were supported by their work environment, salary, and promotional opportunities.

Predictors of organizational commitment among occupational therapists.

Organizational commitment may have an important influence on work related outcomes (attrition, absenteeism, burnout, tardiness, and job performance) particularly during times of health care organizational turmoil and change. This study used a correlational research design with multiple regression analysis to determine the predictive power of extrinsic and intrinsic rewards as determinants of organizational commitment among occupational therapists (OTRs) working full-time in ambulatory care and hospital settings. Task involvement was a significant predictor of OTRs' commitment in both ambulatory care and hospital settings. General working conditions and task autonomy were significant determinants of commitment among OTRs working in ambulatory care settings. Salary and supervision were significant predictors of commitment among hospital OTRs. Given the demand for OTRs in ambulatory care and hospital settings, a better understanding of significant determinants that influence organizational commitment among OTRs could prove beneficial in developing recruitment and retention job design strategies.

Managers' perceptions of radiographers' skills: current and future needs.

As the healthcare delivery system changes, it is imperative to assess the skills of practitioners to ensure consistency between educational preparation and work place needs. The purpose of this study was to examine radiology managers' perception of selected workplace skills and new radiography graduates' ability to perform them. A random sample of 1,932 members of the American Healthcare Radiology Administrators (AHRA) received a questionnaire containing 35 skills categorized as basic, intermediate or advanced. Skills were ranked by the magnitude of the difference between managers' rating of importance of each skill and their rating of graduates' ability to perform that skill satisfactorily. In the basic skill area, the four top-ranked skills represented problem-solving ability or critical thinking. Of the five highest-ranked intermediate skills, the top three were patient care skills: venipuncture, taking vital signs and monitoring patient equipment. In the advanced skill area, six skills exhibited high values for the difference between importance and ability. Two of those related to patient care, three were non-technical and the sixth was the ability to perform CT in addition to basic radiography. Employers and educators should work together to seek educational methods that produce radiographers who are better prepared for the fast-changing workplace.

Rural vs. urban demand for medical imaging personnel.

Although there has been some anecdotal evidence regarding the demand for medical imaging personnel in the hospital setting, few statewide studies have documented the demand for such staff or compared data longitudinally. Using data from the North Carolina Council for Allied Health, the study reported in this article documented mean minimum hourly salaries and mean maximum hourly salaries, vacancy rates and time required to fill vacancies for nuclear medicine technologists, radiographers and ultrasonographers in rural and urban hospitals. Results indicated the vacancy rates were highest for ultrasonographers and lowest for radiographers. There were vacancy differences in rural compared to urban settings and for part-time compared to full-time employees.

The impact of work rewards on radiographers' organizational commitment.

Organizational commitment is an affective work outcome that has been used to predict work-related behaviors such as turnover, absenteeism and intent-to-leave. There has been little research in organizational commitment for the allied health professions and no empirical studies in the radiologic sciences. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive value of selected intrinsic and extrinsic work reward variables--involvement, significance, autonomy, general working conditions, supervision and salary--on staff radiographers' organizational commitment. In this study of 600 full-time staff radiographers in North and South Carolina, supervision (for ages 20-37 years) and involvement (for ages 38-66 years) were significant predictors of organizational commitment. The results of the study indicate that healthcare organizations should provide potential supervisors with managerial training, especially for radiographers who move to supervisory positions based on clinical skills and years of experience. In the long run, such programs are much less expensive than costs associated with replacing employees who leave the organization because of low organizational commitment. Also, management strategies and programs to redesign and enhance job tasks may help maintain or increase organizational commitment.

The predictive value of selected job rewards on occupational therapists' job satisfaction in ambulatory care settings.

Using a perceived reward model of overall job satisfaction, this study utilized a correlational research design with multiple regression analysis to determine the predictive power of extrinsic rewards and intrinsic rewards, collectively and individually, as determinants of overall job satisfaction among registered occupational therapists (OTR) working full-time in ambulatory care settings. The intrinsic rewards (task involvement and task autonomy), collectively and individually, were perceived to be significant overall job satisfaction determinants. General working conditions was the only significant extrinsic reward. Given the demand for OTRs in ambulatory care settings, a better understanding of factors that influence overall job satisfaction among OTRs could prove beneficial in developing appropriate recruitment and retention job design strategies.

Intrinsic and extrinsic predictors of work satisfaction in ambulatory care and hospital settings.

This study assessed the ability of selected intrinsic and extrinsic variables to predict allied health practitioners' work satisfaction in ambulatory care and hospital settings. A total of 413 occupational and physical therapists in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina provided data via a mailed survey. Multiple regression analyses examined the predictive power of selected intrinsic and extrinsic variables upon therapists' work satisfaction in the ambulatory care and hospital setting. The regression model for therapists in ambulatory care settings was a better predictor of work satisfaction than the model for therapists in the hospital setting. Results indicated that respondents' intrinsic orientation toward their work, and their perception of the general working conditions in the organization were two of the strongest predictors of their work satisfaction in the ambulatory care and hospital setting. The findings provide information that can be useful in developing recruitment and retention strategies in both work settings.

Factors affecting student program and career selection.

This study uses a national sample of freshman radiography students to examine demographic data and factors that affected career and program choice. The data are discussed in terms of implications for marketing and recruitment strategies.

The impact of multiskilled practice on the job satisfaction of medical laboratory personnel.

This study examined practice patterns of medical laboratory personnel and investigated relationships of job-related variables and job satisfaction for single- and multiskilled practitioners. Data were collected from a random sample of American Society of Clinical Pathologist-registered practitioners in a five-state region. Twenty-five percent of the sample was categorized as multiskilled. Regression analysis revealed that work performed had a significant positive contribution to overall job satisfaction for medical laboratory technicians (MLTs) and medical technologists. The strength of the relationship was weakest for multiskilled MLTs. Results support the contention that when jobs are redesigned, enriching them by adding tasks of increased complexity and challenge is possibly more effective than simply enlarging the jobs with lower- or parallel-level tasks.