"To Shield or Not to Shield?" Frontline Radiographer's Perspective.

The purpose of this study was to understand diagnostic radiographer's perceptions of the use of protective lead shielding in general radiography examinations. Emerging literature is providing evidence of the limited value of lead shielding for patient protection which has been an accepted practice for decades. Therefore, understanding the perspectives of frontline radiographers and evaluating any changes in practice are imperative in assessing the need for new legislation and policies and developing educational resources for the public and healthcare professionals. This Research Ethics Board (REB) approved study included one-on-one semi-structured interviews that were conducted with six radiographers of varying years of clinical experience. Six interview questions were designed based on a literature review and with a panel of experts. The questions were pilot tested and modified. Interviews with study participants were conducted remotely on the Zoom platform and were recorded. Transcriptions of the interviews were obtained, and a comprehensive thematic analysis was conducted. To ensure validity of the results two independent blinded thematic analyses were conducted. The respondents highlighted that a lack of updated hospital policy addressing the emerging evidence on the futility of protective lead shielding has caused a variation in the practice of lead shielding amongst radiographers. The thematic analysis established five major themes that affected radiographers' practice when using shielding: workload, method of convenience, patient condition, ambiguous policies, and lack of education. The emergent themes reflect the need for a written clear policy on shielding to provide consistent practice and to protect radiographers especially in increased workload environments and differing patient conditions. Once a shielding policy is implemented education can then be designed and tailored to address concerns about additional ionizing radiation from radiography examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]