Contingency Plan for Radiography Education During the Flu Pandemic

During the flu pandemic, it is acknowledged that Hospital trusts will be under additional pressures due to numbers of patients and staff sickness. If staff sickness levels or workload reach a level that impacts on student education such that they are unable to complete assessments or gain sufficient practical experience the University clinical placement co-ordinator should be contacted in good time.

In cases such as this, staff from the University will come out to the sites wherever possible (noting that the same staff sickness problems may be affecting the University as the hospitals) to undertake student assessments and work with the students to develop their clinical skills. In these cases under the national contract, the University staff are considered to be hospital staff working under an honorary contract if they are working with the students. University staff cannot therefore take on radiography duties to assist the department without supervising students unless they have a separate honorary contract with the trust in question.

Scope of Practice of Student Radiographers in Times of Excessive Staff bsence

If staff numbers drop to levels where the student radiographers are required to assist generally within the department, the University considers the following roles are appropriate for each stage of students. The students should be allowed to practice radiography where ever possible, and supervision during this must be maintained. Student radiographers should remain within the Radiology departments unless assisting with radiology-related duties outside the departments such as mobile examinations, theatres or assisting porters. It is inappropriate to send students onto wards to assist nurses since this may put patients and the students at risk if they are put into situations they are not trained to deal with.

Stage 1 students

• Assisting clerical staff with making appointments, manning reception and answering telephones.
• Working as radiology assistants, chaperoning patients, getting patients changes, assisting radiographers and radiologists.
• Assisting porters with beds and trolleys where the students will not be left in sole charge of a patient.
• Assisting with mobile examinations on wards.
• Infection control measures such as cleaning mobile equipment, rooms and image intensifiers.
• Assisting the x-ray nurses.
• If the students are not able to assist with clinical work (e.g. there are too many students in the department), they can be released for study to complete their case studies, etc. on a rotational basis.

Stage 2 students

• Assisting clerical staff with making appointments, manning reception and answering telephones.
• Working as radiology assistants, chaperoning patients, getting patients changes, assisting radiographers and radiologists.
• Assisting porters with beds and trolleys where the students will not be left in sole charge of a patient.
• Assisting with mobile examinations on wards.
• Infection control measures such as cleaning mobile equipment, rooms and image intensifiers.
• Assisting the x-ray nurses.
• If the students are not able to assist with clinical work (e.g. there are too many students in the department), they can released for study to complete their case studies, etc. on a rotational basis.
• Working late / out of hour shifts to assist the radiographers.
• Working as assistant practitioners under supervision in areas where their competencies have been completed and they have successfully completed their assessments (e.g. chests, abdomens, extremities, etc.).

Stage 3 students

• Assisting clerical staff with making appointments, manning reception and answering telephones.
• Working as radiology assistants, chaperoning patients, getting patients changes, assisting radiographers and radiologists.
• Assisting porters with beds and trolleys where the students will not be left in sole charge of a patient.
• Assisting with mobile examinations on wards.
• Infection control measures such as cleaning mobile equipment, rooms and image intensifiers.
• Assisting the x-ray nurses.
• If the students are not able to assist with clinical work (e.g. there are too many students in the department), they can be released for study to complete their case studies, etc. on a rotational basis.
• Working late / out of hour shifts to assist the radiographers in an assistant practitioner role to help maintain shift numbers.
• Working as assistant practitioners under supervision in areas where their competencies have been completed and they have successfully completed their assessments (e.g. chests, abdomens, extremities, etc.).
• Working in satellite hospitals under supervision.
• Assisting in CT/MRI and other modalities as an assistant practitioner under supervision.

In the Event of University Closure

If the University should close, the radiography qualified staff, will spend some of their time in the NHS trusts to assist the students with their educational needs. Students on academic blocks will be sent home, whilst students on their placements will remain in clinical practice. University staff will do their utmost to support the students on placement as well as ensure the students sent home can access learning materials. This may mean that lectures are recorded and put onto webCT for the students so that they can still learn when they are at home. Lecture notes and additional learning materials will be provided to students with the aim to reduce the disruption to their learning as much as possible.

Discussion forums may be set up on webCT for the students to discuss tutorial subjects. If the University remains open then the usual telephone and contact numbers will apply. However, if this is not the case senior members of the team will be contacted via mobile phones and these numbers will be distributed in such a case. In addition e-mails will continue to be responded to.