S2826
RTT - RTT education, training, and advanced practice
ESTRO 2026
%20study
Anonymity was ensured. Semi-structured one-to-one interviews were conducted with 5 RTTs, to explore deeper into managing anxiety in cancer patients. Results: 43/131 (33%) RTTs responded to the survey. 60% (n=26) of RTTs had never had training in managing anxiety in patients. Of those who had training, 82% (n=14) reported that they rarely receive training in this area. Training was varied ranging from modules at an undergraduate level, to hospital-based training. 95% (n=16) reported that their training changed their clinical practice in managing patient anxiety, with RTTs reporting that training made them more prepared to manage patient anxiety effectively. RTTs scored very confident to extremely confident on a Likert scale when recognising common anxiety symptoms but were less confident in anxiety management techniques. RTTs were more comfortable managing anxiety in the pre-treatment, and treatment setting compared to the post treatment setting. RTTs reported they would like training on practical techniques for managing anxiety, including training on recognising anxiety, discussing anxiety with the patient, and a better awareness of services available to the patient with clear escalation pathways. RTTs noted that barriers in place for anxiety management training, included the time pressure of having back-to-back patient appointments, resulting in limited time to dedicate to managing each patients’ anxiety. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study revealed a clear need for structured, consistent training in anxiety recognition and management for RTTs. Existing training is not widespread or regularly administered. RTTs are in the unique position to support patients’ emotionally due to their daily contact throughout treatment. Comprehensive training and standardised referral protocols are essential for enabling RTTs to deliver emotional support to patients. Additionally, supporting staff well-being and ensuring consistent information for patients is equally important. Future work should focus on developing practical training modules for RTTs to adequately care for patients with anxiety. Keywords: anxiety, anxiety management, staff training References: 1.Webster A, Fog LS, Hall E, van Rossum PSN, Nevens D, Montay-Gruel P, et al. ESTRO guidelines for developing questionnaires in survey-based radiation oncology research. Clinical and Translational Radiation Oncology [Internet]. 2024 Nov 24;100895. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240 5630824001721?userQuery=questionnaire%20in%20a
Digital Poster Highlight 1680
Perspectives and Reflections on IMplementing Excellence in Person-Centred Care for Radiation Therapists (PRIME-PCC) Caroline Marr 1,2 , Michael Velec 1,2 , Yat Man Tsang 1,2 1 Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. 2 Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada Purpose/Objective: Person-centred care (PCC) is an approach that involves partnering with patients and healthcare professionals to be responsive to an individual’s goals, values, and preferences1. This study aimed to examine the levels of PCC practiced by radiation therapists (RTTs) across Canada and to explore how RTT demographic characteristics impact its implementation. To our knowledge, this is the first study to measure PCC quantitatively within the scope of practice for RTTs. Material/Methods: An18-question web-based survey was distributed through the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT) and radiation therapy managers across Canada, using REDCap. The survey included demographic questions and the validated Person-Centred Care Assessment Tool (P-CAT), which measures the extent to which PCC is practiced by RTTs2. Univariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine if any characteristics predicted above-median levels of PCC based on P-CAT scores dichotomized into above- and below-median groups. All the variables with a p-value of <0.10 were entered into a multivariate, forward conditional logistic regression. The performance of the final model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the odds ratio with 95% CI. For all tests, a p-value of <0.05 was statistically significant. Results: 318 RTTs across Canada, representing all ten provinces, completed the survey. The median P-CAT score was 43 out of 65, with higher scores indicating greater PCC (range 18-57) (Figure 1). RTT role, academic background, and prior PCC education were statistically significant factors (p < 0.10) in the univariate logistic regression analysis of PCC levels, and were included in the multivariate, forward conditional logistic regression. After adjustment, only prior PCC education and academic background were included as statistically significant predictors. RTTs with prior PCC education being more than twice as likely to belong to the above-median group (OR = 2.53, 95% CI 1.60-4.04, p < 0.001) and those with a Master’s
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online