Shane Dempsey | The University of Newcastle (original) (raw)

Papers by Shane Dempsey

Research paper thumbnail of Practice patterns of radiation therapy technology in Australia: results of a national audit

Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 2015

Introduction: This article presents the results of a single-day census of radiation therapy (RT) ... more Introduction: This article presents the results of a single-day census of radiation therapy (RT) treatment and technology use in Australia. The primary aim of the study was to ascertain patterns of RT practice and technology in use across Australia. These data were primarily collated to inform curriculum development of academic programs, thereby ensuring that training is matched to workforce patterns of practice. Methods: The study design was a census method with all 59 RT centres in Australia being invited to provide quantitative summary data relating to patient case mix and technology use on a randomly selected but common date. Anonymous and demographic-free data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Overall data were provided across all six Australian States by 29 centres of a possible 59, yielding a response rate of 49% and representing a total of 2743 patients. Findings from this study indicate the increasing use of emerging intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image fusion and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) technology in Australian RT planning and delivery phases. IMRT in particular was used for 37% of patients, indicating a high uptake of the technology in Australia when compared to other published data. The results also highlight the resource-intensive nature of benign tumour radiotherapy. Conclusions: In the absence of routine national data collection, the single-day census method offers a relatively convenient means of measuring and tracking RT resource utilisation. Wider use of this tool has the potential to not only track trends in technology implementation but also inform evidence-based guidelines for referral and resource planning.

Research paper thumbnail of Validating the use of digitally reconstructed radiographs as verification tools in radiation therapy simulation of prostate treatment

Research paper thumbnail of Acute skin reaction and psychological benefit of washing with a mild cleansing agent during radiation therapy to the breast or chest wall: a randomised control trial

Purpose: i/ To compare the differences between the acute skin reaction of patients undergoing rad... more Purpose: i/ To compare the differences between the acute skin reaction of patients undergoing radiation therapy to the breast or chest wall washing with water and a mild cleansing agent (pH=7), and patients washing with water only, and ii/ to determine whether there is any psychological benefit for those patients washing with water and a mild cleansing agent compared to those washing with water only. Methods: Forty three (43) patients receiving tangential radiation therapy for early stage primary breast cancer were randomised to one of two treatment arms: Group 1 - washing with water and a mild cleansing agent (21 patients). Group 2 - washing with water only (22 patients). Acute skin reaction was assessed weekly by a radiation oncologist and radiation therapist using a modified EORTC/RTOG skin reaction scale. Acute skin reaction and psychological benefit was assessed by the patient using a weekly diary skin assessment card. Statistical analysis of the differences in skin reaction an...

Research paper thumbnail of Development of the Newcastle Reflective Analysis Tool

The need for health professionals to reflect on practice and incorporate reflection into their li... more The need for health professionals to reflect on practice and incorporate reflection into their life long learning repertoire is not new. Many health professional programs at Universities use journaling as a tool to facilitate, encourage and foster insightful and reflective thinking, with an aim to develop future health professionals with skills to become reflective practitioners in the workplace. During their professional placements, undergraduate radiation therapy (RT) students at the University of Newcastle, Australia, write a personal development journal, describing their journey from novice to graduate practitioner. The full three year set of journals from one intake of students have been subjected to both qualitative descriptive analysis to describe the professional practice situations that students report on, and reflective analysis to describe the evidence of reflection. This paper focuses on the development of the Newcastle Reflective Analysis Tool (NRAT) to analyse the jour...

Research paper thumbnail of The referential and structural conceptions of group work learning

The traditional context of learning in a University is that of a student engaged in learning and ... more The traditional context of learning in a University is that of a student engaged in learning and assessment as an individual learner (a solo learner), in a behaviorist model of teacher centered instruction. Most of the educational research undertaken which reviews students’ conceptions of learning and the qualitative outcomes of learning, has been undertaken in the solo learner context, in a direct instruction model of teaching. In the mid-1980s Australian workplaces identified the need for graduates to have a wide range of skills which made them highly adaptable to the modern workplace. These skills included those associated with working in teams. By the late 1990s Australian universities were introducing group work learning as a way to provide graduates with an experience in collaborative learning and social constructivist learning contexts. However, little research has been conducted that identifies the learning outcomes of group work learning. The research reported in this thesi...

Research paper thumbnail of Can relaxation interventions reduce anxiety in patients receiving radiotherapy? Outcomes and study validity

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the preceptor role for pre-registration student clinical education - the unmet educational need in clinical practice - a pilot study involving nurses and midwives

Research paper thumbnail of A single-centre retrospective analysis of the incidence of seromas post-lumpectomy in patients requiring radiation therapy for the management of breast cancer

Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology

The treatment of early stage breast cancer often involves a lumpectomy plus radiation therapy (1)... more The treatment of early stage breast cancer often involves a lumpectomy plus radiation therapy (1). A seroma is a collection of fluid that may be present at the site of the lumpectomy post- surgery which, if identified on CT-simulation, can be used as a proxy for the primary breast cancer tumour site (2, 3). This study specifically seeks to analyse the CT-simulation data of post-lumpectomy breast cancer patients to quantify the incidence of, and describe the presence of, seromas detectable on CT-simulation data. The project forms part of a research higher degree study investigating i/ the utility of 3D Ultrasound system in detecting post-surgical breast seroma in early stage breast cancer, and ii/ its role in radiation therapy to verify correct treatment positioning.

Research paper thumbnail of Developing a qualitative framework for analysis of student journals

Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 2010

Learning from work is an important aspect of student and professional life when working within th... more Learning from work is an important aspect of student and professional life when working within the health profession. Personal journals are one way that health professionals are able to document their experiences. 1 These journals also hold a wealth of information about the student experience on placement. 2 To analyse the content of journals a qualitative research analytical method is required.

Research paper thumbnail of A comparison of the acute toxicities using moderate hypo-fractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy or volumetric modulated arc therapy for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer

Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 2015

ABSTRACT Aim This study compared the acute toxicities reported during radiotherapy treatment usin... more ABSTRACT Aim This study compared the acute toxicities reported during radiotherapy treatment using either intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to deliver a moderate hypo-fractionated treatment for early-stage prostate cancer.Material and methods Acute toxicities are routinely reported at the clinical site for all patients using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Toxicity assessment is performed on day 1 of treatment, then once weekly thereafter. The recorded toxicities of 40 cases treated with five-field IMRT, and 32 cases treated using VMAT were retrospectively compared. All cases were prescribed 73·68 Gy in 28 fractions. Eight symptoms were assessed; diarrhoea, proctitis, fatigue, pain, dermatitis, urinary frequency, urinary retention and urinary tract pain.Results In terms of the overall toxicity recorded, VMAT was shown to reduce the toxicities of dermatitis, fatigue, pain and urinary frequency (p<0·05). Using IMRT, grade 2 toxicities were reported for proctitis, pain, urinary frequency, urinary retention and urinary tract pain. Using VMAT, grade 2 toxicities were reported for urinary frequency and urinary retention.Findings The research reported here is one of the first publications to demonstrate that VMAT is associated with decreased toxicities compared with IMRT for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer.

Research paper thumbnail of Technical knowledge and skills in undergraduate radiation therapy: The University of Newcastle experience

Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 2007

Radiation therapy (RT) technologies and the technical skills required have undergone an extended ... more Radiation therapy (RT) technologies and the technical skills required have undergone an extended period of change and advancement. The University of Newcastle's RT curriculum has met this challenge by developing a technologically layered curriculum that not only retains the basic fundamental concepts underpinning RT, but also reflects current and emerging technology, as well as the associated skill developments.

Research paper thumbnail of Theory of reflection in learning for radiation therapists

Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 2008

Practicing reflectively can assist the radiation therapist to monitor their work, foster professi... more Practicing reflectively can assist the radiation therapist to monitor their work, foster professional growth and encourage currency of skills. Reflection is an attractive and desirable component to a radiation therapist's skill base. To provide radiation therapists the skills necessary to engage in reflection, they need a basic understanding of the theory underpinning reflection and reflective practice, and how they can be applied in the context of radiation therapy. This paper discusses the modern pioneers of reflective theory, as well as the concepts surrounding reflection and professional practice. The concepts central to experiential learning and the role reflection plays in the experiential learning cycle are described. This paper supports the role of reflection in the radiation oncology workplace and simplifies the theories of reflection described in the literature. It is the first step towards facilitating and supporting skill development in reflective thinking for clinical radiation therapists.

Research paper thumbnail of The changing nature of HDR brachytherapy for cervix cancer: How the clinical target volume affects the historical prescription dose

International Journal of Radiation OncologyBiologyPhysics

Research paper thumbnail of Comparing four volumetric modulated arc therapy beam arrangements for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer

Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 2014

Introduction: This study compared four different volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) beam arr... more Introduction: This study compared four different volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) beam arrangements for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer examining plan quality and the impact on a radiotherapy department's resources. Methods: Twenty prostate cases were retrospectively planned using four VMAT beam arrangements (1) a partial arc (PA), (2) one arc (1A), (3) one arc plus a partial arc (1A + PA) and (4) two arcs (2A). The quality of the dose distributions generated were compared by examining the overall plan quality, the homogeneity and conformity to the planning target volume (PTV), the number of monitor units and the dose delivered to the organs at risk. Departmental resources were considered by recording the planning time and beam delivery time. Results: Each technique produced a plan of similar quality that was considered adequate for treatment; though some differences were noted. The 1A, 1A + PA and 2A plans demonstrated a better conformity to the PTV which correlated to improved sparing of the rectum in the 60-70 Gy range for the 1A + PA and 2A techniques. The time needed to generate the plans was different for each technique ranging from 13.1 min for 1A + PA to 17.8 min for 1A. The PA beam delivery time was fastest with a mean time of 0.9 min. Beam-on times then increased with an increase in the number of arcs up to an average of 2.2 min for the 2A technique. Conclusion: Which VMAT technique is best suited for clinical implementation for the treatment of prostate cancer may be dictated by the individual patient and the availability of departmental resources.

Research paper thumbnail of A survey to evaluate the implementation of a national clinical assessment form

Purpose: The Australian Universities Radiation Therapy Student Clinical Assessment Form (AURTSCAF... more Purpose: The Australian Universities Radiation Therapy Student Clinical Assessment Form (AURTSCAF) was designed to assess the clinical skills of radiation therapy (RT) students from the six universities that offer entry level RT programs. Given the AURTSCAF has now been in use for over two years, the Radiation Therapy Program Coordinators (RTPC) group initiated a post implementation evaluation survey. This formed the final phase of the AURTSCAF project and was funded by the Radiation Oncology Division of the Department of Health and Ageing. Methods: A cross-sectional designed survey using purposive sampling was distributed via email to all RT clinical sites. The survey asked questions about the requirements of a pass grade for students at different stages of their program, and the addition of a new category of assessment related to fitness to practise. Response types included both forced choice closed ended responses and open ended responses. There was also a section for open commen...

Research paper thumbnail of SNAPSHOT: A census of radiotherapy practice in Australia

Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology

It is commonly accepted that radiation therapy is a rapidly evolving profession with an astonishi... more It is commonly accepted that radiation therapy is a rapidly evolving profession with an astonishing rate of technological development. Accordingly there is much data in the literature concerning this from international studies. A Canadian study1 examined the availability of IMRT between 2006 and 2010, while regular longitudinal studies into infrastructure allow for trends in technology availability to be determined in Korea2 and Japan.3,4 There is a big difference, however, between availability of resources and actual usage with many factors affecting both referral rates5 and implementation6 of the available technology and equipment; the resource-hungry nature of commissioning frequently restricting usage.7 A 2010 UK study8 remains one of the few to investigate the link between availability and use of technology and determined that lack of personnel and funding was a common inhibitory factor. It is important to note that availability of technology was not the dominating factor in mo...

Research paper thumbnail of Increasing nutritional support for patients undergoing radiation therapy: the radiation therapist perspective

Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 2011

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine radiation therapists' knowledge on the nutritiona... more Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine radiation therapists' knowledge on the nutritional management of side effects for patients receiving treatment to the gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary system and to determine the willingness of radiation therapists' to participate in nutritional training.

Research paper thumbnail of Development and validation of reflective inventories: assisting radiation therapists with reflective practice

Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 2010

Objective: Freeform reflective writing is one way that radiation therapists can document their de... more Objective: Freeform reflective writing is one way that radiation therapists can document their development. Barriers to this form of writing include the fact that some radiation therapists do not know what to write or how to begin this writing process. This paper outlines the development and validation of guided inventories called the Newcastle Reflective Inventories and the validation of the Newcastle Reflective Analysis Tool as an effective tool for assessing short-form guided reflective writing.

Research paper thumbnail of Using nominal group technique to develop a consensus derived model for peer review of teaching across a multi-school faculty

This paper describes the development of a peer review of teaching model for the Faculty of Health... more This paper describes the development of a peer review of teaching model for the Faculty of Health at the University of Newcastle, Australia. The process involved using the nominal group technique to engage Faculty academic staff to consider seven key decision points that informed the development of the peer review of teaching model. Use of the consensus based nominal group technique established collegial discussion and networking among participants, and has expanded the discussion within the Faculty about peer review of teaching. Although the academics come from a diverse multi-school and multi-program Faculty, there was high levels of consensus on the structure and process of the developed peer review of teaching model.

Research paper thumbnail of The level of confidence and responsibility accepted by Australian radiation therapists in developing plans and implementing treatment

Radiography, 2009

The purpose of this research was to assess (i) how confident Radiation Therapists (RTs) are in de... more The purpose of this research was to assess (i) how confident Radiation Therapists (RTs) are in developing a series of plans that have increasing levels of difficulty, and (ii) the level of responsibility that they are willing to accept in relation to these treatments being implemented without the Radiation Oncologist (RO) reviewing or countersigning the plan. A self-administered questionnaire was designed

Research paper thumbnail of Practice patterns of radiation therapy technology in Australia: results of a national audit

Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 2015

Introduction: This article presents the results of a single-day census of radiation therapy (RT) ... more Introduction: This article presents the results of a single-day census of radiation therapy (RT) treatment and technology use in Australia. The primary aim of the study was to ascertain patterns of RT practice and technology in use across Australia. These data were primarily collated to inform curriculum development of academic programs, thereby ensuring that training is matched to workforce patterns of practice. Methods: The study design was a census method with all 59 RT centres in Australia being invited to provide quantitative summary data relating to patient case mix and technology use on a randomly selected but common date. Anonymous and demographic-free data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Overall data were provided across all six Australian States by 29 centres of a possible 59, yielding a response rate of 49% and representing a total of 2743 patients. Findings from this study indicate the increasing use of emerging intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image fusion and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) technology in Australian RT planning and delivery phases. IMRT in particular was used for 37% of patients, indicating a high uptake of the technology in Australia when compared to other published data. The results also highlight the resource-intensive nature of benign tumour radiotherapy. Conclusions: In the absence of routine national data collection, the single-day census method offers a relatively convenient means of measuring and tracking RT resource utilisation. Wider use of this tool has the potential to not only track trends in technology implementation but also inform evidence-based guidelines for referral and resource planning.

Research paper thumbnail of Validating the use of digitally reconstructed radiographs as verification tools in radiation therapy simulation of prostate treatment

Research paper thumbnail of Acute skin reaction and psychological benefit of washing with a mild cleansing agent during radiation therapy to the breast or chest wall: a randomised control trial

Purpose: i/ To compare the differences between the acute skin reaction of patients undergoing rad... more Purpose: i/ To compare the differences between the acute skin reaction of patients undergoing radiation therapy to the breast or chest wall washing with water and a mild cleansing agent (pH=7), and patients washing with water only, and ii/ to determine whether there is any psychological benefit for those patients washing with water and a mild cleansing agent compared to those washing with water only. Methods: Forty three (43) patients receiving tangential radiation therapy for early stage primary breast cancer were randomised to one of two treatment arms: Group 1 - washing with water and a mild cleansing agent (21 patients). Group 2 - washing with water only (22 patients). Acute skin reaction was assessed weekly by a radiation oncologist and radiation therapist using a modified EORTC/RTOG skin reaction scale. Acute skin reaction and psychological benefit was assessed by the patient using a weekly diary skin assessment card. Statistical analysis of the differences in skin reaction an...

Research paper thumbnail of Development of the Newcastle Reflective Analysis Tool

The need for health professionals to reflect on practice and incorporate reflection into their li... more The need for health professionals to reflect on practice and incorporate reflection into their life long learning repertoire is not new. Many health professional programs at Universities use journaling as a tool to facilitate, encourage and foster insightful and reflective thinking, with an aim to develop future health professionals with skills to become reflective practitioners in the workplace. During their professional placements, undergraduate radiation therapy (RT) students at the University of Newcastle, Australia, write a personal development journal, describing their journey from novice to graduate practitioner. The full three year set of journals from one intake of students have been subjected to both qualitative descriptive analysis to describe the professional practice situations that students report on, and reflective analysis to describe the evidence of reflection. This paper focuses on the development of the Newcastle Reflective Analysis Tool (NRAT) to analyse the jour...

Research paper thumbnail of The referential and structural conceptions of group work learning

The traditional context of learning in a University is that of a student engaged in learning and ... more The traditional context of learning in a University is that of a student engaged in learning and assessment as an individual learner (a solo learner), in a behaviorist model of teacher centered instruction. Most of the educational research undertaken which reviews students’ conceptions of learning and the qualitative outcomes of learning, has been undertaken in the solo learner context, in a direct instruction model of teaching. In the mid-1980s Australian workplaces identified the need for graduates to have a wide range of skills which made them highly adaptable to the modern workplace. These skills included those associated with working in teams. By the late 1990s Australian universities were introducing group work learning as a way to provide graduates with an experience in collaborative learning and social constructivist learning contexts. However, little research has been conducted that identifies the learning outcomes of group work learning. The research reported in this thesi...

Research paper thumbnail of Can relaxation interventions reduce anxiety in patients receiving radiotherapy? Outcomes and study validity

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the preceptor role for pre-registration student clinical education - the unmet educational need in clinical practice - a pilot study involving nurses and midwives

Research paper thumbnail of A single-centre retrospective analysis of the incidence of seromas post-lumpectomy in patients requiring radiation therapy for the management of breast cancer

Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology

The treatment of early stage breast cancer often involves a lumpectomy plus radiation therapy (1)... more The treatment of early stage breast cancer often involves a lumpectomy plus radiation therapy (1). A seroma is a collection of fluid that may be present at the site of the lumpectomy post- surgery which, if identified on CT-simulation, can be used as a proxy for the primary breast cancer tumour site (2, 3). This study specifically seeks to analyse the CT-simulation data of post-lumpectomy breast cancer patients to quantify the incidence of, and describe the presence of, seromas detectable on CT-simulation data. The project forms part of a research higher degree study investigating i/ the utility of 3D Ultrasound system in detecting post-surgical breast seroma in early stage breast cancer, and ii/ its role in radiation therapy to verify correct treatment positioning.

Research paper thumbnail of Developing a qualitative framework for analysis of student journals

Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 2010

Learning from work is an important aspect of student and professional life when working within th... more Learning from work is an important aspect of student and professional life when working within the health profession. Personal journals are one way that health professionals are able to document their experiences. 1 These journals also hold a wealth of information about the student experience on placement. 2 To analyse the content of journals a qualitative research analytical method is required.

Research paper thumbnail of A comparison of the acute toxicities using moderate hypo-fractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy or volumetric modulated arc therapy for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer

Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 2015

ABSTRACT Aim This study compared the acute toxicities reported during radiotherapy treatment usin... more ABSTRACT Aim This study compared the acute toxicities reported during radiotherapy treatment using either intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to deliver a moderate hypo-fractionated treatment for early-stage prostate cancer.Material and methods Acute toxicities are routinely reported at the clinical site for all patients using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Toxicity assessment is performed on day 1 of treatment, then once weekly thereafter. The recorded toxicities of 40 cases treated with five-field IMRT, and 32 cases treated using VMAT were retrospectively compared. All cases were prescribed 73·68 Gy in 28 fractions. Eight symptoms were assessed; diarrhoea, proctitis, fatigue, pain, dermatitis, urinary frequency, urinary retention and urinary tract pain.Results In terms of the overall toxicity recorded, VMAT was shown to reduce the toxicities of dermatitis, fatigue, pain and urinary frequency (p<0·05). Using IMRT, grade 2 toxicities were reported for proctitis, pain, urinary frequency, urinary retention and urinary tract pain. Using VMAT, grade 2 toxicities were reported for urinary frequency and urinary retention.Findings The research reported here is one of the first publications to demonstrate that VMAT is associated with decreased toxicities compared with IMRT for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer.

Research paper thumbnail of Technical knowledge and skills in undergraduate radiation therapy: The University of Newcastle experience

Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 2007

Radiation therapy (RT) technologies and the technical skills required have undergone an extended ... more Radiation therapy (RT) technologies and the technical skills required have undergone an extended period of change and advancement. The University of Newcastle's RT curriculum has met this challenge by developing a technologically layered curriculum that not only retains the basic fundamental concepts underpinning RT, but also reflects current and emerging technology, as well as the associated skill developments.

Research paper thumbnail of Theory of reflection in learning for radiation therapists

Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 2008

Practicing reflectively can assist the radiation therapist to monitor their work, foster professi... more Practicing reflectively can assist the radiation therapist to monitor their work, foster professional growth and encourage currency of skills. Reflection is an attractive and desirable component to a radiation therapist's skill base. To provide radiation therapists the skills necessary to engage in reflection, they need a basic understanding of the theory underpinning reflection and reflective practice, and how they can be applied in the context of radiation therapy. This paper discusses the modern pioneers of reflective theory, as well as the concepts surrounding reflection and professional practice. The concepts central to experiential learning and the role reflection plays in the experiential learning cycle are described. This paper supports the role of reflection in the radiation oncology workplace and simplifies the theories of reflection described in the literature. It is the first step towards facilitating and supporting skill development in reflective thinking for clinical radiation therapists.

Research paper thumbnail of The changing nature of HDR brachytherapy for cervix cancer: How the clinical target volume affects the historical prescription dose

International Journal of Radiation OncologyBiologyPhysics

Research paper thumbnail of Comparing four volumetric modulated arc therapy beam arrangements for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer

Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 2014

Introduction: This study compared four different volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) beam arr... more Introduction: This study compared four different volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) beam arrangements for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer examining plan quality and the impact on a radiotherapy department's resources. Methods: Twenty prostate cases were retrospectively planned using four VMAT beam arrangements (1) a partial arc (PA), (2) one arc (1A), (3) one arc plus a partial arc (1A + PA) and (4) two arcs (2A). The quality of the dose distributions generated were compared by examining the overall plan quality, the homogeneity and conformity to the planning target volume (PTV), the number of monitor units and the dose delivered to the organs at risk. Departmental resources were considered by recording the planning time and beam delivery time. Results: Each technique produced a plan of similar quality that was considered adequate for treatment; though some differences were noted. The 1A, 1A + PA and 2A plans demonstrated a better conformity to the PTV which correlated to improved sparing of the rectum in the 60-70 Gy range for the 1A + PA and 2A techniques. The time needed to generate the plans was different for each technique ranging from 13.1 min for 1A + PA to 17.8 min for 1A. The PA beam delivery time was fastest with a mean time of 0.9 min. Beam-on times then increased with an increase in the number of arcs up to an average of 2.2 min for the 2A technique. Conclusion: Which VMAT technique is best suited for clinical implementation for the treatment of prostate cancer may be dictated by the individual patient and the availability of departmental resources.

Research paper thumbnail of A survey to evaluate the implementation of a national clinical assessment form

Purpose: The Australian Universities Radiation Therapy Student Clinical Assessment Form (AURTSCAF... more Purpose: The Australian Universities Radiation Therapy Student Clinical Assessment Form (AURTSCAF) was designed to assess the clinical skills of radiation therapy (RT) students from the six universities that offer entry level RT programs. Given the AURTSCAF has now been in use for over two years, the Radiation Therapy Program Coordinators (RTPC) group initiated a post implementation evaluation survey. This formed the final phase of the AURTSCAF project and was funded by the Radiation Oncology Division of the Department of Health and Ageing. Methods: A cross-sectional designed survey using purposive sampling was distributed via email to all RT clinical sites. The survey asked questions about the requirements of a pass grade for students at different stages of their program, and the addition of a new category of assessment related to fitness to practise. Response types included both forced choice closed ended responses and open ended responses. There was also a section for open commen...

Research paper thumbnail of SNAPSHOT: A census of radiotherapy practice in Australia

Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology

It is commonly accepted that radiation therapy is a rapidly evolving profession with an astonishi... more It is commonly accepted that radiation therapy is a rapidly evolving profession with an astonishing rate of technological development. Accordingly there is much data in the literature concerning this from international studies. A Canadian study1 examined the availability of IMRT between 2006 and 2010, while regular longitudinal studies into infrastructure allow for trends in technology availability to be determined in Korea2 and Japan.3,4 There is a big difference, however, between availability of resources and actual usage with many factors affecting both referral rates5 and implementation6 of the available technology and equipment; the resource-hungry nature of commissioning frequently restricting usage.7 A 2010 UK study8 remains one of the few to investigate the link between availability and use of technology and determined that lack of personnel and funding was a common inhibitory factor. It is important to note that availability of technology was not the dominating factor in mo...

Research paper thumbnail of Increasing nutritional support for patients undergoing radiation therapy: the radiation therapist perspective

Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 2011

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine radiation therapists' knowledge on the nutritiona... more Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine radiation therapists' knowledge on the nutritional management of side effects for patients receiving treatment to the gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary system and to determine the willingness of radiation therapists' to participate in nutritional training.

Research paper thumbnail of Development and validation of reflective inventories: assisting radiation therapists with reflective practice

Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 2010

Objective: Freeform reflective writing is one way that radiation therapists can document their de... more Objective: Freeform reflective writing is one way that radiation therapists can document their development. Barriers to this form of writing include the fact that some radiation therapists do not know what to write or how to begin this writing process. This paper outlines the development and validation of guided inventories called the Newcastle Reflective Inventories and the validation of the Newcastle Reflective Analysis Tool as an effective tool for assessing short-form guided reflective writing.

Research paper thumbnail of Using nominal group technique to develop a consensus derived model for peer review of teaching across a multi-school faculty

This paper describes the development of a peer review of teaching model for the Faculty of Health... more This paper describes the development of a peer review of teaching model for the Faculty of Health at the University of Newcastle, Australia. The process involved using the nominal group technique to engage Faculty academic staff to consider seven key decision points that informed the development of the peer review of teaching model. Use of the consensus based nominal group technique established collegial discussion and networking among participants, and has expanded the discussion within the Faculty about peer review of teaching. Although the academics come from a diverse multi-school and multi-program Faculty, there was high levels of consensus on the structure and process of the developed peer review of teaching model.

Research paper thumbnail of The level of confidence and responsibility accepted by Australian radiation therapists in developing plans and implementing treatment

Radiography, 2009

The purpose of this research was to assess (i) how confident Radiation Therapists (RTs) are in de... more The purpose of this research was to assess (i) how confident Radiation Therapists (RTs) are in developing a series of plans that have increasing levels of difficulty, and (ii) the level of responsibility that they are willing to accept in relation to these treatments being implemented without the Radiation Oncologist (RO) reviewing or countersigning the plan. A self-administered questionnaire was designed