Rob Fabrizio, Director of Strategic Marketing, Digital Radiography and Women’s Health, FUJIFILM Medical Systems U.S.A., Inc.

Heavy lifting, repetitive motions, long hours, skittish patients and demanding physicians. These are just a few of the many challenges radiologic technologists (rad techs) contend with every day. The job is physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding.

It’s no surprise, then, that occupational stress and burnout are a reality for many rad techs. Especially in the aftermath of the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, where demand for bedside images sky-rocketed, the likelihood of rad tech burnout is greater than ever before. 

Also in the height of COVID-19 surges, many imaging centers and radiology departments postponed non-urgent imaging exams for several months. Today, these imaging facilities are faced with a backlog. Dealing with an unusually high volume of patients has become a harsh reality for many of today’s rad techs. Add to that the fact that techs must take extra time to thoroughly clean and sterilize equipment after each patient—all while being concerned about their own health and safety.

With an already demanding job, these additional pressures in the era of COVID-19 can quickly escalate and result in tech fatigue and burnout.

Stress and burnout not only affect the individual tech, but also the entire organization and its bottom line. Stress can lead to depression, fatigue, and sloppy work, which in turn can result in absenteeism, lost productivity, and medical errors.

So it goes without saying, organizations can ill-afford burnout among the ranks. After all, rad techs are the lifeblood of any imaging department. Radiologists rely on techs to get the image right so they can accurately diagnose patients. Keeping techs at their best is in everyone’s interest.

Now is the time to take the necessary steps to ensure your techs are happy and healthy. By being proactive, you can combat tech burnout before it happens—and that’s going to reflect positively on the quality of your workplace and the quality of patient care.

Over the years, studies and surveys have identified multiple sources of stress for techs. These include inconsistent management, inefficient communication, conflicting demands, long work hours, excessive workloads, lack of work breaks, time pressures, and equipment or technology.

Organizations must take multiple actions to reduce stress factors, such as better communication, a focus on proper staffing and patient scheduling, and even education about personal wellness (i.e., sleep habits, diet, etc.). For example, making more use of staff huddles, electronic communications and or even hosting short webinars on self-care can provide clarity and boost morale.

Maximizing the Radiologist-Radiologic Technologist Relationship

The majority of issues that cause workplace stress are internal problems and must be addressed by leadership. If your organization is short-staffed, is there a way to increase headcount or bring on a temp? If techs never get a break, is there maybe a need for a new written policy on this matter? These are examples of issues that only an internal leader can address. However, there are a number of ways that your imaging vendors can contribute to alleviating tech burnout, as well. Here are four to consider.

Fatigue can be a stressor, and routinely dealing with heavy, bulky equipment and positioning patients can lead to repetitive stress injuries and up the odds of sapping your techs’ energy and causing absentees.

The solution is to seek out vendors that have a proven track record for ergonomically designed equipment and automated features and functions.

Consider digital radiography (DR) X-ray room systems. Repetitive equipment movements should be light, smooth and easy. Automation, such as automated tube height tracking, can eliminate a step and having to reposition the X-ray tube when the tech adjusts a table or chest stand to the patient’s height and anatomy. Automation also allows the tech to focus more on attending to the patient and their safety.

Look for solutions built smarter to maximize workflow efficiencies and provide exceptional imaging performance—all while making your techs’ jobs easier. High sensitivity detector and image processing technologies help simplify things by generating exceptional first up images that don’t need adjustments and can prevent retakes from minor mistakes—saving time, stress, and dose for the rad tech and the patient.

Portable X-ray systems designed with both patients and techs in mind can mean speedy, more efficient exams. For example, 

 offers small, quiet, light-weight maneuverable imaging in tight spaces and in critical care with a full-size portable machine. In addition,

 can provide on-demand imaging at one-third the size and with 80 percent less weight, minimizing rad tech fatigue from re-locating a portable machine.

On the job injuries are another stress factor. A 2008 

 found that during the process of manipulating patients for appropriate positions, 83 percent of technologists have reported painful or repetitive stress injuries. These injuries can lead to short- and long-term setbacks for your staff and shortages of staff due to call outs.

This can be extremely important in bedside exams where techs can encounter a patient that is difficult to lift when trying to place the detector under them. No one wants to lose grip on the patient or the detector, so having a detector that is as light as possible, such as Fujifilm’s 

, can be a huge help in getting in and out with the right image, safely and easily.

Smart ergonomics that can boost productivity, accuracy, and efficiency, are also important for advanced DR rooms, too. Light, easy, and fully automated robotoic system movements, like those available with 

, can help techs quickly and accurately get the images they need and focus more time on the patient.

Under normal circumstances, techs are routinely required to perform imaging on patients with infectious diseases. Now, add to this the pandemic, and anxieties have escalated to all-time highs for healthcare professionals.

Radiologist Wellness and Burnout in the COVID-19 Era

Vendors can help alleviate some of the worry by supplying the safest equipment possible, such as the 

 included on Fujifilm’s DR detectors and portables. Other smart design elements include sealed surfaces and areas made to be easier to reach into for routine wipe downs with disinfectants.

Exposure to radiation is another safety concern for rad techs. High sensitivity detector and image processing technologies can help dramatically minimize dose without sacrificing image quality. Low-dose technologies not only keep the patient safer, but also protect your radiology staff from routine incidental dose, as well.

Any and all manufacturer solutions that help your staff feel less vulnerable—such as equipment that is easy to wipe down and clean and exposures that are as low as possible—will contribute to easing anxiety and burnout.

In order to deliver the best possible patient care, rad techs and radiologists must work closely together and be in sync. Traditional ways of communicating about a patient’s exam may require the rad tech to seek out the radiologist in the reading room or elsewhere in the facility, causing delays and stress.

The right PACS can improve this antiquated way of communicating. A server-side technology, like 

, boosts efficiency and helps techs avoid burnout. It features a chat function that allows techs to communicate with radiologists when images are ready to be reviewed or when a patient is ready for an exam without leaving the patient.

Smooth communication means less time and energy expended by techs and more efficient workflow—easing tensions for rad techs and keeping everyone productive.

Imaging technology is continually evolving and new innovations can be intimidating even to the most seasoned technologist. Changes in technology in the radiology department and an emphasis on multitasking can lead to additional stress and burnout, along with the potential for errors.

Moreover, imaging directors need to ensure their techs are confident in leveraging new technologies on hand. Insecurity can cause undue anxiety. Organizations need to take the time to enhance confidence levels of their rad techs when it comes to mastering various modalities. It’s vital to have an action plan in place for refresher trainings and to train new staff as they onboard. Refresher trainings can be extremely valuable for even the most seasoned staff, alerting them to easier, faster, more accurate ways of doing things and introducing latest updates.

Another important way to enhance technologists’ confidence of course is to ensure they have equipment that is consistently reliable, easy to use and allows them to quickly get the right images physicians are seeking. Equipment with a proven track record for intuitive usability and reliability is critical to boosting staff efficiency and confidence while reducing stress.

Anxiety can also arise when techs don’t believe they have proper training in a particular area or modality. For example, if a rad tech who was never trained in computed tomography (CT) is asked to perform a CT scan to fill in during a staff shortage, chances are that rad tech will be pretty uneasy. Physicians have high expectations that techs will perform every exam safely and accurately. However, stress becomes an issue when roles conflict and the unexpected happens.

The right training is imperative if a tech is to do his or her job properly. Vendors play a critical role in training rad techs on their equipment. It is vitally important to seek out manufacturers with a proven reputation for providing solid training and strong customer service. You want to work with a company that is just as committed to training your team as you are, and will provide the resources you need 24/7/365.

Whether you run an imaging center, a radiology practice or a hospital radiology department, your people are your greatest asset. Rad techs perform millions of imaging exams every year in the United States, many of which are ultimately lifesaving scans. A very high percentage of hospital visits from injuries to infectious diseases, routinely encounter radiology imaging.

Clinicians and radiologists rely on skilled, professional techs to capture the images they need in order to accurately diagnose and treat patients. Reliability, accuracy, safety, and speed are critical in this equation.

It is the industry's duty—both imaging providers and vendors—to assist in combating rad tech burnout so experienced techs thrive and promising new candidates continue to enter the field. Together, we can keep the rad tech community going strong.

For more coverage based on industry expert insights and research, subscribe to the Diagnostic Imaging e-Newsletter 

Articles

The Time to Combat Radiologic Technologist Burnout is Now

Children have long been frightened by hospital stays. Daunting needles, sterile rooms, and scary machines can make hospitalization a frightening experience for young patients. Now, we can add one more major fear factor to the list: separation anxiety.

 of COVID-19 are increasing across the nation. Due to the contagious nature of the disease, a COVID-19 hospitalization stay can be a very lonely journey.

, 2 million children tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Today, children represent 12.4 percent of all cases in states reporting cases by age as compared to just 2 percent of all COVID-19 cases in April.

Scientists believe that a new strain of COVID-19 recently detected in the United Kingdom may spread 

 than previous forms of the virus.Data collected over a six-week period found that the proportion of cases of the variant in those under 15 was “statistically significantly higher” than the non-variant virus.

Fortunately, most children with COVID-19 do not require hospitalization.While many will recover at home, kids who come down with more serious symptoms and/or complications and do end up hospitalized also end up isolated from their parents. Separation anxiety compounds an already frightening situation, which can impede both treatment and healing.

COVID-19 should be a powerful motivating factor for hospitals to “up the comfort quotient” for 

pediatric patients. The lessons learned from this tragic pandemic should be applied in the time of COVID and beyond. Simply put, children suffering from any malady are likely to have better experiences and outcomes when they are at ease—as free of fear as possible. This article will explore the many steps hospitals can take to improve pediatric patient comfort.

Diminished comfort-giving role for parents during pandemic

COVID-19 is turning back the clock on hospital visitation practices. According to an article in 

, unlimited parental visiting hours are relatively new in American hospitals.From the early 1900s to the late 1950s, most U.S. hospitals had strict rules separating children from their parents and limiting parental visits to just a few hours each week.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that advances in hospital architecture dramatically altered accommodations for family members. During this time, parents began to play a significant supporting role. They provided their children with the non-medical, but very necessary, comfort they needed to undergo tests and treatment and, ultimately, recover.

, all 135 U.S. and Canadian hospitals that completed the survey reported that their general pediatric unit “allowed parents to sleep at the bedside overnight.”Moreover, 99 percent of those hospitals (133) reported parental involvement in their child’s care at night, with 39 percent stating that this was an expectation.

However, with COVID-19 the pendulum has swung back to days of old.Now is the first time in many decades that so many pediatric patients must deal with being alone in the hospital.

Isolated children suffering from COVID-19 or other contagious diseases are likely more frightened than ever—and that, in turn, can impede treatment and healing. Moreover, even children with other ailments may find themselves cut off from parents due to COVID-19 precautions especially if it continues to surge and hospital visitation rules become as restricted as they were in the spring of 2020.

Now, more than ever, healthcare providers need every edge they can get when it comes to easing anxiety, pain, and trauma for the nation’s littlest patients.

Why comfort matters: A little psychology goes a long way

Children are easily frightened by the unfamiliar and are taught not to trust strangers. So, it is easy to understand how a stay in a hospital—and possible separation from parent(s)—can ignite terror in many young patients.

The problem for providers is not simply an unhappy child, but rather that anxiety and fear are a clinician’s worst enemy because these emotions hinder examinations, diagnosis and treatment. By reducing apprehensive emotions in young patients, clinicians can save time, obtain more accurate assessments, and are less likely to require a retake or “miss” something.

Adolescents, toddlers, and infants already have a hard time keeping still without the added dynamic of pain and fear.With relaxed pediatric patients—versus terrified, nervous ones—physicians can get to the root of the problem sooner. That translates into better more efficient exams, faster treatment, and improved patient experiences.

A little bit of psychology can go a long way. Comforting details and practices can make a world of difference in quelling anxieties. This includes everything from your facility setting and your staff, to your technology.

High tech form meets function for safer, more comfortable care

Technology saves lives, but for children it can be seen as scary stuff. Children in pain undergoing even routine tests can be filled with increased worry and fear, making them anxious and impeding care.To put children at ease, an X-ray can be introduced as something fascinating and a pain-free exam to undergo. Digital radiography (DR) is a painless and powerful tool in diagnosing a wide array of symptoms.

It’s imperative to utilize DR detectors that deliver high-quality images, with as low radiation dose as possible—to keep the smallest, most sensitive patients safe. Young patients are more susceptible to the negative effects of radiation dose and low dose and low penetration typically impede image quality. To this end, Fujifilm’s detectors all incorporate innovative and proprietary core technologies, designed to maximize sensitivity which in turn improves dose efficiency at ultra low doses and the resulting image quality compared to conventional designs. What’s more, these detectors take safety a step further incorporating an anti-bacterial coating to provide an added measure of infection controls against hospital-acquired infections. This was always important, but even more so during this era of COVID-19.

While safety always comes first, comfort is key. For instance, it's not news that children have a hard time holding still.

One example of technology that helps speed exams, minimize discomfort and image gently is Fujifilm’s FDR D-EVO GL. Long length views are commonly utilized for trauma and on adolescents for scoliosis treatment that spans over the course of several years. Naturally minimizing dose and preventing retakes are extremely critical to these exams.The GL is the world’s first single-exposure, long-length DR detector. It reduces discomfort for a better patient experience by speeding image acquisition with just one exposure. One-exposure minimizes the need for kids’ to hold still compared to traditional multi-exposure DR methods. So kids in pain and kids that are

 don’t have to hold still as long to get a great X-ray instantly. Instantaneous acquisition of a full length view minimizes dose and prevents repeat exams caused by patient movement and, of course, the additional associated radiation dose.

Portable and mobile equipment are also important to pediatric care departments for several reasons. It’s speedy, efficient, and mobile equipment helps keep kids comfortable. With mobile DR units, images are captured and displayed in seconds at the patient’s bedside—so children don't need to be transported to the radiology department. Kids can be easily frightened when they are moved from their beds and don't know where that gurney is going!

Children and adults are also commonly fearful of cold-looking X-ray exam rooms and machines – but there are ways to make mobile X-ray technology less intimidating and even fun.

 feature choices of kid-friendly graphic decals that ease young patients’ (and their parents) fears prior to the exam by making the equipment look more animated and less intimidating and clinical. This makes the tech’s job easier and improves the chances of getting a speedy, accurate exam the first time.

Moving away from bigger, bulkier units has put children at ease according to radiology staff at the Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City. They say previous portables could put panic on kids’ faces as soon as they were wheeled into the room. But that has changed, thanks to kid-friendly designs and bright illustration vinyl wraps that are wrapped around the FDR Go units they presently utilize.

Portability can also help keep infants comfortable and safe in the NICU. These helpless tiny infants are wired up with countless wires and tubes—the slightest movement can cause them to stay awake and cry for hours. To help keep them safe and secure in their isolette, Fujifilm’s special small 24x30cm DR detector is designed to fit perfectly in the cassette tray under the the bed, so the infant doesn’t have to be picked up, placed and held directly on a cold detector, as is the case with larger detectors. Exams are faster, safer and the baby stays peacefully secure in its germ-free environment.

While comfortable testing is the secret sauce to effective pediatric care, there are several other steps hospitals can take to enhance the comfort quotient.

For starters, a cheerful setting establishes a positive mood and helps set the tone for a successful pediatric hospital stay. Calming colors, bright murals, playful images and plush toys put children at ease. Experts that create hospital spaces, say research shows kids prefer warm, inviting colors for corridors and rooms.

Music—the universal soother—can make a world of difference, too. Studies show that music can ease children’s anxiety during difficult procedures. A recent study published in 

 found that kids get through endoscopy procedures with less strife when music is played.

Communication helps alleviate fears, as well. Too often clinicians talk to parents and leave children in the dark. But fear is largely about the unknown.It’s important for physicians and X-ray techs to include kids in friendly conversations, and make the exams and equipment interesting to help put patients at ease. Conquering fears begins with young patients understanding what procedures they will undergo.

Finally, your staff can be your greatest asset in keeping our young patients happy and comfortable. A caring smile and a gentle touch can go a long way with little ones.

COVID-19 is just our latest reminder of how challenging hospitalization can be on the young. Every year more than 

 children are hospitalized in the United States. Whether it’s for a surgical procedure or a sudden illness, an accident or a traumatic event, a hospital stay can mean emotional upheaval for a young patient.

Upping the comfort quotient with everything from a cheerful space to well thought out technology can help ease patient anxiety and make clinicians’ jobs easier. A calm, secure child is easier to evaluate, diagnose and treat. Pave the way for better exams, treatment and outcomes by making comfort a top priority. The road to recovery will be far smoother.

Taking steps to improve pediatric imaging, comforting patients and securing high-quality scans, is critical now and for the post-pandemic era.

Rob Fabrizio, Director of Strategic Marketing, Digital Radiography and Women’s Health, FUJIFILM Medical Systems U.S.A., Inc.

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The Time to Combat Radiologic Technologist Burnout is Now

Pediatric Care: Upping the X-ray Comfort Quotient During COVID-19 and Beyond