Radiation Safety Training and Interdepartmental Coordination: A Mixed-methods Study among Multidisciplinary...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Radiation Safety
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Effective interdepartmental coordination is crucial for patient safety in healthcare settings, particularly concerning radiation safety.
• Multidisciplinary teams require clear communication and collaboration to manage radiation risks effectively.
• Existing radiation safety training may not adequately address the complexities of interdepartmental collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the relationship between specialized radiation safety training and the effectiveness of interdepartmental coordination.
• To identify barriers to effective coordination among healthcare professionals involved in radiation safety.
• To explore differences in training adequacy and coordination effectiveness across professional roles.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional, mixed-methods study surveyed 173 healthcare professionals (nurses, medical doctors, medical technologists) in a Saudi Arabian tertiary care hospital.
• Validated questionnaires assessed training adequacy and coordination effectiveness using Likert scales.
• Qualitative data from open-ended questions identified barriers and areas for improvement, analyzed alongside quantitative data using Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman's rank correlation tests.

Main Results:

• Medical technologists reported significantly higher scores for both training adequacy (3.67) and coordination effectiveness (3.15) compared to nurses and doctors.
• No significant relationship was found between radiation safety training levels and the effectiveness of interdepartmental coordination (ρ = -0.038, p = 0.6157).
• Key barriers included limited access to resources, unclear roles, heavy workloads, staff shortages, and insufficient awareness of radiation risks.

Conclusions:

• Individualized radiation safety training alone is insufficient to ensure effective interdepartmental collaboration.
• Healthcare organizations need systemic solutions, including standardized protocols and clear role definitions, to foster a sustainable radiation safety culture.
• Moving beyond didactic training to integrated workflows and resource allocation is essential for improving safety outcomes.