Radiographers' academic development in Sweden: Towards and after a doctoral degree.

INTRODUCTION: Radiography is a young discipline and having radiographers with a doctoral degree is central for its development. Academic development of this field in Sweden has been evolving. This study explored the diagnostic radiographers' prerequisites for doctoral studies, post-doctoral employment and research activities. METHODS: Data were collected through a questionnaire designed to give insight into doctoral radiographers' qualification paths, funding, doctoral status, employment and basic demography. Sixteen radiographers participated. A conventional content analysis was used. RESULTS: The median age at dissertation defence was 53 for doctorates and 60 for licentiates. This indicates that after receiving the doctorate, there is short time left in the profession, increasing the challenge to develop the field. Most doctorates were employed within educational establishments. Unfortunately, few had supervised doctoral students, but those employed within academia contributed significantly to academic research. CONCLUSION: Compared to other Nordic countries, Sweden is at the forefront with a positive development in obtained high academic degrees. Nevertheless, there is an urgent need for post-doctorate radiographers in order to maintain the workforce to meet current and future demands. Radiographers with doctorates need to be consulted when planning research projects to establish a clear radiographic perspective. Swedish radiographers with a doctorate or licentiate have limited research time, indicating that Sweden may not invest enough in radiographic research. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: There is a need for more doctoral positions and doctorates radiographers to supervise doctoral students. Clinical departments should recognise the benefits of having radiographic clinical research.

Radiographic research in Sweden - A review of dissertations.

INTRODUCTION: Radiographers have performed research since 1988 in Sweden. The amount of doctoral and licentiate dissertations written by registered diagnostic radiographers has increased considerably since 2000. How this new field of research was established and developed has facilitated understand of the boundaries that strengthen the professional evidence base. The aim of this dissertation review was to explore the nature and the current state of radiographic research, written by registered diagnostic radiographers in Sweden. METHODS: Dissertations published between 1988 and 2017 were analysed both deductively and inductively with content analysis. RESULTS: Radiographic research focused on structural factors, clinical radiography, radiographic technology and pedagogical approaches. The findings indicated a large interest in advancing patient information, wellbeing and care during examinations. The participants were predominantly clinical patients, followed by radiographers, adults/children and the general public. The most common study designs were descriptive with a trend towards interventional studies. Interviews and questionnaires were the most common data collection methods followed by clinical examinations and documents. CONCLUSION: The analyses demonstrate that the current radiographer research has its roots in clinical practice, focusing on pragmatic aspects and applied knowledge. The findings suggest that radiographer's dissertations meet the challenges of new technologies and working practise. If the knowledge is connected to the radiographic framework, radiography can be viewed as an independent discipline with its own philosophical base. When radiographers are encouraged to conduct research, evidence based knowledge increase which strengthens the profession. Radiography, as a scientific discipline is evolving in Sweden.

Trends that have influenced the Swedish radiography profession over the last four decades.

INTRODUCTION: The expansion of the radiography profession in recent decades has widened the scope of radiographic practice. This has raised questions about which trends have had an impact on the profession over the years. The study aim was to explore trends that have influenced the radiography profession over the last four decades. METHODS: A qualitative design was used. Eleven focus group interviews inspired by the Scenario Planning Method were conducted at 11 diagnostic radiology departments in public hospitals in Sweden. The target group consisted of 48 registered radiographers. To analyse the data, qualitative content analysis was used. RESULTS: Thematic data analysis revealed three broad categories; technological development and radiation doses, current status of the radiography profession and specialisation leading to expert knowledge. Each category derived from two or three sub-categories. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate significant trends of influences on the radiography profession in Sweden over the last four decades. New methods and technology and control of radiation doses have had a favourable effect on the development of the radiography profession. Nevertheless, current status such as shortage of radiographers has had an adverse way. Specialisation leading to expert knowledge has an influence on career advancement and a specialist education regulated by the law, might be a prerequisite for the development of the radiography profession.

Professional development for radiographers and post graduate nurses in radiological interventions: Building teamwork and collaboration through drama.

INTRODUCTION: The rapid development within Interventional Radiology presents new challenges. Hybrid operating rooms consist of interventional radiology, open surgery, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and other techniques. This means that several disciplines and professionals need to work in new constellations creating a multidisciplinary team around the patient. In accordance with this development, higher professional education must provide new pedagogic strategies to successfully address the knowledge expected in today's complex working life. AIM: To explore the use of Applied Drama as a learning medium, focusing on the use of Forum Theatre, to foster team work and collaboration in the field of radiography and learning. METHODS: A qualitative approach, closely related to Ethnography, was utilized. RESULT: The Drama Workshop utilising Forum Theatre created a dynamic learning environment and enabled the participants from three professions to understand each other's priorities better. The use of drama within health care education allows the students to take different roles in order to find the best way to co-operate. CONCLUSION: Forum Theatre is a useful learning medium in order to promote teamwork and collaboration in the radiological intervention field. By choosing a personal working experience, Forum Theatre seem to engage the participants at a deeper level and to experience various communication strategies and how the outcome changed depending on the approach. This can lead to improved teamwork and collaboration.

Effects of unsaturation on film structure and friction of fatty acids in a model base oil.

The normal and friction forces between layers of three fatty acids (stearic, oleic, and linoleic acid) and a rosin acid (dehydroabietic acid) have been measured in n-hexadecane with a surface forces apparatus. Stearic, oleic, and dehydroabietic acid form loose-packed monolayers on mica surfaces when adsorbed from dry n-hexadecane. Linoleic acid forms an additional dimer layer between monolayer-covered surfaces, where it is stabilized by interactions between the double-bond-rich regions of the molecules. The monolayers formed by linoleic and dehydroabietic acid are thinner than the ones formed by stearic and oleic acid, but are not as easily removed from between the mica surfaces when the load or pressure is increased. The friction force increased linearly with load in all systems, and the friction coefficient increased with increasing unsaturation. Linoleic acid showed two regimes of linear friction with increasing load, corresponding to two different film thicknesses. Its friction was sensitive to sliding speed and adsorption time, and the thinner film observed at higher load had a lower friction coefficient. Such features were not observed for stearic and oleic acid, where the monolayers were removed and the friction coefficient changed to that of pure n-hexadecane at a pressure of 3.5 MPa.