ISRRT_COVID-19_book

To add perspective, a 3 rd year student who had to rush through their final few months of
university (where the key skills for post-qualifying are revisited) was now a newly qualified
radiographer working on the frontline face to face with COVID-19 patients trying to apply all
of their skills to deliver the best level of care to their patients whilst trying to protect
themselves and their team contracting the virus. Nevertheless, they were in the meanwhile
trying to find their feet in the department and become familiar with their team.
One of the most intimidating, daunting, and harrowing areas of practice for a newly qualified
radiographer would be imaging in theatre. Although working in theatres is something student
radiographers experience, it was the same type of theatre work that had become nearly nonexistent
whilst they were on the last few months of their placement. All elective surgeries had
been cancelled. Patients who required emergency surgery would receive surgical treatment,
however, precautions were put in place where patients who were either suspected or
confirmed COVID-19 would result in having surgery with all staff members fully equipped with
Level 3 PPE. The challenges associated for a radiographer would be trying to ensure radiation
protection measures were still being followed, effective communication would take place
both speaking and listening, for example, being able to hear the surgeon when they ask for
an x-ray whilst there was an air-powered hood with an air flow rhythm humming directly
above the head. Considering the equipment that provided protection from COVID-19 would
surround the entire head and was battery-power operated (and very loud), the radiographer
would have to be prepared during longer surgery cases to be able to make their way quickly
and cautiously to a ‘safer area’ to replace the battery if it ever ran out as the only thing
protecting them from the disease would be the air filtered hood.
Departmental radiography workflow had been changed drastically as well. As X-ray imaging
is the primary diagnostic imaging modality of choice for A&E patients the department in this
NHS Trust in the North West had to change to suit the needs of both COVID-19 and non-
COVID-19 patients. Therefore, one of the primary A&E X-ray rooms had been changed to
accommodate COVID-19 patients when they required plain X-ray imaging. Due to the
increased incidence of chest x-ray imaging within this room, both radiographers and radiology
assistants had to receive training in effectively cleaning the entire room to include all surfaces
as well as mopping the floors to significantly reduce the transmission of any microorganisms.
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