Behind the scan: addressing the silent strain on medical radiation professionals’ mental health
Min Ku
A * , Jillian Cavanagh A , Timothy Bartram A and Leila Afshari A
A
Abstract
Medical radiation science practitioners employed as radiation therapists, radiographers and nuclear medicine technologists are leaving the profession in droves. Many of these practitioners are experiencing mental health and wellbeing issues resulting from their work. Indications are that the sector is made up of an increasingly fragile workforce and the retention of these practitioners is at a critical juncture. The mental health and wellbeing of practitioners in this context is not well supported by senior management, line managers or human resource management (HRM). The retention of these practitioners is paramount, to maintain the diagnosis and treatment capabilities of an ever-increasing patient demand. As a way forward, HRM needs to recalibrate and develop a co-designed multi-level approach with all stakeholders to better support the mental health and wellbeing of these practitioners.
Keywords: burnout, human resource management, job demand, job resource, medical radiation practitioner, mental health and wellbeing, nuclear medicine technologist, radiation therapist, radiographer, retention.
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