Review articleSocial media: The next frontier for professional development in radiography
Introduction
Radiographers are required to undertake professional development in order to maintain registration. There are many activities that constitute professional development, ranging from online quizzes to conference attendance. However, existing professional development activities tend to be passive and one way, which is isolating for the practitioner. Research into radiographers' attitudes to professional development has shown a level of ambivalence towards its need, and focus on activities centred on the individual.1 The same study revealed a “superadditive” effect of professional development when participation became part of the process. Without participation, the process would not be effective. The result of this study developed a dynamic process, which encouraged participation in professional development activities. However, in a study by Marshall, Punys and Sykes, participation was influenced by cost and travel.2
Social media is an interactive, collaborative, instant form of communication, which transcends geographical boundaries and social isolation. Social media, therefore, potentially addresses the issues identified by Henwood and Taket,1 and by Marshall, Punys and Sykes.2 There are, however, other issues with using social media including the risk to patient privacy and lack of professionalism. The question is, do the inherent challenges of social media use reduce its feasibility as a platform for professional development in radiography? In order to answer this question, two issues must be addressed: the benefits of social media as a platform for professional development and social media risks. The risks associated with social media use is well documented. Most social media policies address risk aversion including patient contact, ethics and professionalism. What is less researched is the potential of social media as a platform for professional development. This aspect will be the topic of this paper.
Within this context, two broad research questions are apparent:
- 1.
What does current literature report as uses of social media for professional development in radiography?
- 2.
How is social media used as professional development within radiography?
This paper reports on the findings from a systematic review of the literature as a first step to answering these questions.3 A second stage to this research is necessary, involving the analysis of social media sites engaged in professional development (beyond the radiography industry). The second stage will be reported in a future paper, and is beyond the scope of this systematic review of the literature.
Australia is a country that experiences the issues for professional development as identified by Henwood and Taket, and by Marshall, Punys and Sykes, including practitioner isolation and huge distances to access resources. Radiography is a well established and well respected industry. There is a professional body for radiographers (called the Australian Institute of Radiography), a regulatory body (called the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia) and radiography is part of the nation's healthcare practitioner registration system (called the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency). For the purposes of setting the scene in professional development, Australia provides a useful context.
For the purposes of this review, the term “continuing professional development” was defined using the definition provided by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), the industry body that regulates 14 health professions, one of which is the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia (MRPBA). Australian law, regulated by the AHPRA, legislates that all registered health practitioners must undertake professional development as a condition of registration (the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law).4
“Continuing professional development is the means by which members of the profession maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge, expertise and competence, and develop the personal and professional qualities required throughout their professional lives.”5
The MRPBA is responsible for registering medical radiation practitioners, developing standards and approving accreditation standards of study. The MRPBA enforce a registration standard for continuing professional development at 60 h over three years (minimum of 10 h in one year). A large number of activities are eligible as professional development.5
The Australian Institute of Radiography (AIR) is the dominant industry body for Australian health professionals in Diagnostic Radiography/Medical Imaging, Radiation Therapy and Ultrasound. AIR has developed professional development activities for members, which meet the requirements of the MRPBA. Points are assigned for successful completion of the activity. Fifty points worth of activities equates to 20 h of professional development for registration with the MRPBA.6
In a survey of European radiographers, it was found that 95% believed professional development was important to their practice. Professional development was viewed as a means of demonstrating competent practice.1 The European study found that radiographers preferred to access their professional development electronically or via the internet because of the time and cost associated with travel. Marshall, Punys and Sykes2 listed a number of negative constraints associated with professional development including cost, geographical location, timing, quality, lack of confidence, lack of support, lack of availability and lack of relevance, which, they believed, could be overcome through access via the internet.
The AHPRA social media policy reminds practitioners of their obligations to the National Law, ethics and professionalism. Rather than prescribing what can and cannot be done using social media, members are referred to the expected behaviours set out in the Code of Conduct.
Section snippets
Defining social media
Social media is defined as the creation and exchange of user-generated content using internet-based applications.7 Social media is increasingly mobile and accessed via mobile devices such as smart phones, tablets and laptops. The most fundamental element of social media is that it is highly interactive where individuals co-create, share and modify user-generated content.8 Popular platforms for social media include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, Wordpress and LinkedIn. There are many
Conducting the review
The systematic review followed the review process described in Mann, Gordon and MacLeod.9 Consistent with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines,10 the Central Queensland University library collection of academic subscription databases was searched through the DiscoverIt! search tool using the keywords: Australia, social media, radiography, radiographer, radiological technologist, professional development, blog, social networking, Facebook,
Review findings
The majority of the research of social media in healthcare was from the USA and was patient focused.11, 12, 13, 14, 15 Overwhelmingly, social media research was aimed at addressing professionalism, ethics and issues in risk-averse healthcare locations such as hospitals, clinics or for self-promoting physicians.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 There was limited research focussing on the use of social media for higher education or professional development of healthcare practitioners.
The review
Higher education in social media for healthcare
It was evident that social media was used for higher education within the healthcare industry.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 26 Social media use for higher education first evolved informally rather than being adopted for sound pedagogical reasons.11, 22, 27, 28 Cheng et al. conducted a systematic review of e-learning in the workplace.15 They found that formal e-learning (computer assisted training) was wide spread in the professional development of healthcare practitioners and social
Collaboration and networking in social media for healthcare
The articles reviewed also identified collaboration and networking as a means of professional development through social media.
As a professional development tool, social media encouraged collaboration and networking, especially between practitioners who would not otherwise be linked. This might include those who are geographically isolated19, 31 or those who lack professional confidence.32 Linking via social media encouraged healthcare practitioners to share case studies, ask for advice and
Conclusion
Evidence suggests that, while once informal, using social media as a pedagogical tool is now being integrated into higher education curriculum, even though effectiveness of social media as a teaching tool is yet to be established. Opportunities for educators exist through blogging, microblogging, wikis, sharing, RSS feeds and social bookmarking. Social media allows for information to be pushed to participants. Evidence suggests that those in healthcare, including students, prefer to have
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