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Review
. 2022 May;28(2):553-559.
doi: 10.1016/j.radi.2021.09.009. Epub 2021 Sep 29.

COVID-19: A literature review of the impact on diagnostic radiography students

D Astirbadi  1 , P Lockwood  2
Affiliations
Review

COVID-19: A literature review of the impact on diagnostic radiography students

D Astirbadi et al. Radiography (Lond). 2022 May.

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 is a highly contagious viral disease declared a global pandemic in March 2020. Throughout the pandemic, radiography students have been working in hospitals on the frontline. The review aimed to search for evidence of the impact COVID-19 has had on diagnostic radiography students and consider whether additional support and learning needs to be implemented.

Methods: A literature search strategy applied keywords, BOOLEAN search operators, and eligibility criteria on PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar databases. Cormack's (2000) critique framework was chosen to methodologically appraise the mixed-method studies to evaluate the quality, validity and rigour.

Results: The search decisions were displayed in a PRISMA flowchart to evidence the process to identify the found articles comprised of two surveys, two semi-structured interviews and one case study. The findings identified common and reoccurring themes of personal protective equipment, mental wellbeing, accommodation and travel, assessments and learning, and transitioning to registration.

Conclusion: The literature suggests that students felt positive impacts of the pandemic, such as being prepared for registration. However, negative effects included the fear of contracting the virus, anxieties of working with ill patients, impracticalities of accommodation and travel during clinical placement, and the adaption to online learning.

Implications for practice: Clinical staff and universities need to work together to ensure students are mentally and physically supported during the pandemic. Regular meetings and agreed channels of communication with students will allow any issues to be brought to attention and addressed. In addition, employers should recognise that newly qualified radiographers will need extra support.

Keywords: COVID-19; Clinical placement; Coronavirus; Mental health; Radiographers; Students.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of COVID-19 infections in England between March 2020 and May 2021 by NHS Test and Trace.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number of COVID-19 vaccinations in the UK.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Summary of literature review search records using PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for new systematic reviews.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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