UNIVERSITY OF BRADFORDSchool of Health StudiesDivision of RadiographyProgramme/course title: BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography
Awarding and teaching institution: / University of BradfordFinal award: / BSc (Hons)
[Framework for Higher Education Qualifications level H]
Programme title: / Diagnostic Radiography
Programme approved by / Health Professions Council and College of Radiographers
Duration: / 3 Years full-time (maximum 5 years)
UCAS code: / B821
Subject benchmark statement: / Health Care Programmes - Radiography
Date produced: / 9 March 2011
Last updated : / September 2011
Introduction
Diagnostic Radiographers are key members of the health care team in the National Health Service (NHS) and in the private health care sector. By exploiting the properties of X and gamma rays, ultrasound and magnetic fields, and understanding the ways in which they interact with body tissues, their role is to ensure the wellbeing and safety of people in their care and produce optimized images of the body which will allow them and others in the health care team to arrive at a diagnosis of disease or injury, thereby informing the future care and management of patients. At the University of Bradford, we will provide you with a supportive and multiprofessional learning environment in both academic and clinical settings, to help you develop the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to practise as a diagnostic radiographer. To support its teaching, the Division’s research focuses on developing and advancing clinical radiographic practice which is recognised both nationally and internationally.
A distinctive feature of the course is the early commencement of the clinical learning component, which begins in week eight of the course. Clinical placements are undertaken in hospitals mainly in West Yorkshire. You will be assigned to a “home” group of hospitals where you will gain the majority of your clinical experience. Another distinctive feature of the course is the integration of the sciences studied in radiography and the associated clinical learning into themed modules. To enable this you will have access to all University learning and teaching resources, including the Division of Radiography X-ray room and PACS resource. Practice based learning will see you placed at a hospital trust within West Yorkshire, where you will work with and learn from clinical radiographers providing diagnostic imaging services to the public.
The course articulates well with the University of Bradford mission: ‘Making Knowledge Work’. We are providers of high quality teaching, informed by internationally recognised research and knowledge transfer which enables students to achieve their educational aspirations within an inclusive, supportive and sustainable environment.
The University of Bradford, Ecoversity programme aims to embed the principles and practice of sustainability across the entire institution, by encouraging people to adopt sustainable behaviours and lifestyles, but also we have adopted the UNESCO principles for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) with the curriculum (http://www.unesco.org/en/esd/). For you as a student, ESD aims to help you understand the world you live in and take some responsibility for creating a sustainable future at home and at work. The curriculum will help you to develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge to enable you to make informed decisions for the benefit of yourself, patients, carers and other health service users.
Programme Aims
The programme has been written with reference to the QAAHE Benchmark Statement for Diagnostic Radiography (2001), the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (2001), the Health Professions Council Standards of Education and Training (2009) and the College of Radiographers Approval and Accreditation of Education Programmes and Professional Practice in Radiography (2004). It prepares you to meet the needs of the imaging service in the NHS and Private Sector. It will enable you to:
A1 become a health care professional who is capable of practising diagnostic radiography competently, effectively, safely and autonomously, within a multiprofessional team environment, to meet service and service user needs
A2 become eligible to apply to the Health Professions Council for registration to practice as a radiographer
A3 become eligible to apply for full membership of the Society and College of Radiographers
A4 confidently challenge existing radiographic practice, through the development of critical thinking and clinical reasoning
A5 engage in lifelong learning through the enhancement of personal transferable skills
A6 become a health care practitioner who will take some responsibility for creating a sustainable future by adopting sustainable behaviours and lifestyles in the efficient use of resources and as health care professionals, provide imaging to all our service users regardless of social, economic and cultural background.
Programme Learning Outcomes
When you have completed the programme you will be able to:
LO1 practice diagnostic radiography safely, autonomously, competently and effectively, in a multiprofessional health care environment with due regard for the needs of patients and professional colleagues
LO2 evaluate the issues and legislation relating to equality and diversity and apply these to your professional practice
LO3 synthesis your knowledge and understanding of human anatomy, physiology and pathology and to apply this to the planning and production of diagnostic images and their subsequent evaluation
LO4 critically evaluate and interpret requests for imaging investigations to an extent which allows you to make an independent judgement about the need for, and suitability of, the proposed investigation
LO5 relate knowledge of imaging systems, radiation protection principles and legislation to the optimization of dose and image quality
LO6 evaluate the complementary role of medical imaging investigations in patient care
LO7 demonstrate knowledge of sustainability and apply its principles to your learning and subsequent professional practice
LO8 think logically, systematically and conceptually in order to demonstrate an evidence based approach to professional practice through the use of research evidence and argument
LO9 take responsibility for evaluating and improving your own learning by critically reflecting, setting targets, planning and prioritising learning activities
LO10 identify, evaluate, analyse, interpret and synthesise a wide range of relevant information through the reasoned selection of appropriate methods and techniques
LO11 illustrate, present and explain new information in a variety of formats to suit a range of purposes and audiences
LO12 recognise and articulate the significance of continuing professional development and the need to maintain clinical competence through the development of a portfolio of evidence.
Curriculum
Graduates from the course will have successfully achieved a standard of education and clinical competence which will allow them to work safely and effectively to the level required by the Health Professions Council (HPC) as stated in the Standards of Proficiency for Radiographers (HPC, 2009) and therefore be eligible to apply for registration. During the course you will be required to demonstrate that you understand and fulfil the requirements of the Health Professions Council Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics (HPC, 2008).
Also the content of the course is guided by the radiographers’ professional body the Society and College of Radiographers. Thus the course aligns with the requirements of practitioner level radiographers as stated in the Learning and Development Framework (2007).
To ensure you meet the Health Professions Councils Standards of Proficiency for Radiographers (HPC, 2009), each academic year you will have 18 weeks of placements in local health care facilities. During this time you will develop practical skills related to the learning outcomes for the diagnostic radiography course. Clinical proficiency is assessed throughout the course. As these proficiencies are linked to the learning outcomes for the modules being studied, failure in clinical assessments will result in you not being eligible to pass profession specific modules and obtain a BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography. You will be eligible for academic credit for all successfully completed modules.
An induction programme which begins before you commence the course and continues throughout the first year will enable you adapt to becoming a student studying at university for an honours degree. A range of learning and teaching methods will encourage you to become a learner capable of independent thought and action and thus become an autonomous practitioner who is capable of working collaboratively for the benefit of your patients.
Throughout the three years of the course you will have the opportunity to study a range of subject areas including biological, physical and social sciences as well as applied topics relating to radiographic and healthcare practice.
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is part of the University of Bradford Ecoversity Programme, which aims to embed the principles and practice of sustainable development across the entire institution. Major areas of the Ecoversity Vision are working towards: a healthier environment; social well-being; a thriving local economy; and sustainable education.
ESD aims to help students to understand the world in which they live and take some responsibility for creating a sustainable future at home and at work. The BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography curriculum has been written to facilitate students to become health care practitioners who can work and live sustainably guided by the six ESD principles contained in the Statement on Education for Sustainable Development within the School of Health Studies (http://www.brad.ac.uk/health/ecoversity/).
Year 1 (level 4)
Main subject areas
During the first year of the course you will be introduced to the profession of radiography and the principles of being a collaborative health care practitioner. Major topic areas are anatomy, physiology, pathology and radiographic techniques of the: cardiopulmonary and respiratory system; appendicular skeleton (upper and lower limbs); axial skeleton (skull, spine, and pelvis) and; abdominal organs. In support of the safe use and application of radiographic techniques you will gain and apply knowledge of the fundamentals of X-ray production, radiation protection and imaging technologies. Teaching will be delivered in lectures which will be supported by tutorials and practical sessions which will take place in the radiography clinical skills laboratory which comprises a fully functioning X-ray room, digital acquisition system, and a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) suite. This will enable you to undertake simulated X-ray examinations and view images from our medical imaging library. Carefully planned and supervised elements of teaching will be undertaken by third year radiography students. To prepare you for collaborative professional practice you will be assigned to a group with students studying on other pre-registration health courses. Together you will study professional issues, teamwork and study skills utilising face to face contact and on-line discussions.
You will be allocated to a hospital trust where, under the supervision of qualified clinical radiographers, you will assist in undertaking routine radiographic examinations. Study at the University and on placement occurs in blocks throughout the academic year. Assessment takes a wide variety of formats including, at University: computer delivered examinations, assignments; at placement weekly formative feedback on your skill development, objective assessment of your competence in performing a range of routine x-ray examinations and summative assessment of your competence during the final clinical placement of the academic year. Throughout the course 100% attendance is required for placement learning and any deficit accrued has to be made good before you can pass the year and proceed to the next year of the course or during the final year graduate.
By the end of this year, you will be able to:
Understand the principles of becoming a collaborative, practice ready, health care practitioner.
Demonstrate the knowledge of and the ability to undertake, under supervision, a limited range of radiographic examinations of the appendicular and axial skeleton, cardiopulmonary and respiratory systems and abdomen.
Understand the reason for and apply principles of health and safety, including appropriate radiation protection.
Module Code / Module Title / Type / Credits / Level / Study periodHEA- / Principles of Professional Practice / Core / 20 / 4 / S1 & S2
HR- / Radiography of the Appendicular Skeleton and Chest / Core / 30 / 4 / S1
HR- / Safe and Professional Radiographic Practice / Core / 20 / 4 / S1
HR- / Radiography of the Axial Skeleton / Core / 30 / 4 / S2
HR- / Introduction to Abdominal Imaging / Core / 20 / 4 / S2
S1 = semester 1 S2 = semester 2
Successfully completing both the academic and clinical assessments at this stage will make you eligible to exit the programme with an award of Certificate of Higher Education in Health Studies.
Please note:
· This award does not confer eligibility to apply for registration with the Health Professions Council.
· Clinical proficiency is assessed throughout the course. As these proficiencies are linked to the learning outcomes for individual profession specific modules, failure in clinical assessments will result in you not being eligible to pass these modules and obtain a BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography. You will be eligible for academic credit for all successfully completed modules.
Year 2 (level 5)
Main subject areas
During the second year of the course you will study body systems which require the use of more complex imaging procedures and modalities, many of which will require the use of contrast agents. These include the anatomy, physiology, pathology and radiographic techniques of the: vascular, urinary, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, reproductive, endocrine and nervous system; and the associated use of contrast agents. This will involve gaining an advanced understanding of image detector technology, exposure and scatter control.
To understand how medical images of these systems are produced, the physical principles and clinical application of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography, bone densitometry and mammography are studied. As a foundation for studies in year 3, policies and procedures for image interpretation are investigated and evaluated.
Your role in the practice of radiography in a diverse society is explored and learning is enhanced through small group discussion with service users who have complex health care needs. Providing equality of service provision to a wide range of service users throughout an extensive range of settings requires evaluation of needs and effective use of a range of equipment. This can only be mastered through learning in the university setting and in the clinical setting.
As part of your professional development you will increase your understanding and the application of professional regulation, the legal status of codes of professional conduct and registration, competence, responsibility and negligence.