Assessing Medical Radiation Technologists in Practice: A Multi-Source Feedback System for Quality Assurance

Objective

To develop and psychometrically evaluate (feasibility, reliability, validity) a questionnaire based multi-source feedback (MSF) system for quality assurance (QA) for medical radiation technologists (MRTs).

Methods

Surveys with 12, 14, 30 and 31 items were developed for assessment of MRTs by patients, co-workers, MRT colleagues and themselves, respectively, using 5-point scales with an “unable to assess” category. Core competencies assessed were related to legislation, standards of practice and ethics, equipment and materials, diagnostic examinations and radiation treatment, safe practice, relationship with patients, records and reporting, communications, team work and professional development. Each MRT was assessed by 25 patients, 6 MRT colleagues, and 6 co-workers. Feasibility was assessed with response rates for each instrument. Validity was assessed with a table of specifications, the percentage of participants unable to assess the MRT for each item, and exploratory factor analyses to determine which items grouped together into scales. Cronbach's α assessed reliability.

Results

A sample of 307 MRTs registered with the College of Medical Radiation Technologists of Ontario (CMRTO) volunteered to undergo MSF assessments. The number of respondents for the MRT peer questionnaire was 1,730, for the co-worker questionnaire was 1,745 and for the patient questionnaire were 7,007. The mean ratings ranged from 4 to 5 for each item on each scale. All of the instruments' full scales had very high Cronbach's α > .92. The factor analyses revealed a 5-factor solution (71.28% of the total variance) for the peer and self surveys, a 3-factor solution for the coworker questionnaire (74.28% of the variance), and a 2-factor solution for the patient questionnaire (81.53% of the variance).

Conclusion

An MSF system employing surveys that have high reliability, validity and feasibility were developed to provide feedback to MRTs on core competencies and skills.