Power Of The iPod In Patient Care
11 December 2008
The academic team behind the iPod radiography initiative: From left: Sue Errett, Steve Delay, Chris O'Reilly, Alan Parsons and Ruth Chester.
We are always looking for innovative ways to deliver education to students
”Chris O’Reilly, e-Learning Development Co-ordinator, for Radiography within the Faculty of Education, Health and Sciences.
Student radiographers face a challenging experience when they move from the classroom to the clinical setting and come face-to-face with real patients. They have to learn many patient positioning techniques in a short space of time, so the pressure is on to learn quickly and accurately.
- incorrect positioning could mean a repeat X-ray examination therefore increasing the patient’s exposure to radiation
- it could also potentially result in an inaccurate diagnosis impacting on the patient’s subsequent treatment.
Now the University of Derby has issued 35 BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography students with an iPod, featuring a DVD of radiographic techniques demonstrating how to correctly position patients for their X-ray. This means that by accessing their iPod students can ‘brush up’ on their positioning skills outside the classroom – while at home, on work placements in hospitals or even on the bus.
The iPod delivers purpose-made video footage and graphic animations with commentary on how the positioning techniques of the upper and lower limbs, skull and chest should be carried out.
Radiography academics at the University say that helping instil the basics through the use of ‘trendy’ technology will ensure that students are ready for practice.
The initiative, which has been masterminded by Derby staff members Geoff Glover, Chris O’Reilly, Alan Parsons, Steve Delay and Ruth Chester, builds on a similar project developed in the University’s Radiography department to help students learn more about the human skull.
They recently created an online virtual reality model of the human skull to give BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography students an introduction to it.
Chris O’Reilly, e-Learning Development Co-ordinator, for Radiography within the Faculty of Education, Health and Sciences, said: “We are always looking for innovative ways to deliver education to students. By embracing iPod technology we’ve enabled them to access their learning materials wherever they are.
“In this instance, the supportive ‘tutor in a box’ approach will help reinforce what they’ve learned, boost their confidence and enhance the quality of what they do.”
The students have been given strict guidelines on the appropriate usage of the iPods particularly in the X-ray department.
Steve Delay, Senior Lecturer, added: “Approximately 70% of the workload within a diagnostic imaging department is plain film radiography and these X-rays call for standard positioning techniques; this training device will be of enormous benefit.”
Their colleague Sue Errett, who also works in the radiography department at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, backed the initiative.
She said: “The iPod videos are a fantastic resource. It clearly shows the region of interest to be included for each X-ray and also demonstrates both bony and surface anatomy, which will greatly assist the students in understanding each positioning technique.”
The idea seems to have gone down well with first year Radiography students. Reaction from a recent feedback session drew student comments such as: “easy to use” and “suits my learning style”.
-ends-
For more information about this news release, contact Deputy Head of Corporate Relations Simon Redfern on 01332 591942 or email:s.redfern@derby.ac.uk
