Radioprotection No 59-1 | Page 40

34 N . Shubayr et al .: Radioprotection 2024 , 59 ( 1 ), 30 – 35

Table 3 . Number and percentage of radiological technologists ’ responses in the level of perception towards radiation safety culture by determinant ( N = 496 ).

mean score was obtained for nonpunitive response , followed by leadership actions and error reporting . The result suggests that the MRTs have a high sense of responsibility and collaboration in their work , but they may face challenges in reporting errors , receiving feedback , and being supported by their leaders . The results also indicates that there is room for improvement in all dimensions , as none of them reached the maximum score of 5 .

The mean score of personal accountabilities ( 4.43 ± 0.62 ) was the highest among the 11 scales , with 71.8 % of the MRTs scoring within the good perception level . Personal accountability means that everyone is entirely responsible for safety ; they believe it is their responsibility to be aware of the standards and expectations and to adhere to them diligently . There is personal ownership for safety , and they are committed to promoting safety ( Coldwell et al ., 2015 ). In addition , the mean scores of the teamwork in imaging ( 4.22 ± 0.91 ) and organisational learning ( 3.97 ± 0.97 ) scales were among those where the majority of MRTs scored good perception , accounting for 56.5 % and 46 % of MRTs , respectively . Teamwork is an essential component of RSC . In imaging , a team of MRTs , radiologists and other healthcare professionals work together to ensure that imaging procedures are performed safely and efficiently ( George et al ., 2014 ). In the current study , participants reported a high level of commitment to promoting RSC as a whole team . A higher score in organisational learning indicates that MRTs seek out opportunities to improve radiation safety in the medical imaging departments .

The majority of the determinants of RSC ( i . e ., 7 scales ) were within a moderate level , including teamwork across imaging stakeholders , questioning attitude , feedback loops , leadership actions , error reporting , radiation policy and overall perception of radiation safety . However , poor perception about RSC was indicated for the non-punitive response scale , with a mean score of 2.94 ± 1.01 and 45.2 % of the MRTs scoring below 3 out of 5 . In addition , 24.2 % of the MRTs reported poor perception about error reporting . This may be due to a lack of safety awareness among staff employees and their fear of being disciplined for mistakes . A consequence of this result is that it might be difficult to promote experience feedback , which is one of the main mechanisms for improving radiation protection practices , and thus RPC . A staff member may hide problems that could subsequently affect the effectiveness of patient safety as a result of such a culture . Managers , supervisors and co-workers might foster a culture where mistakes are treated without repercussion . The risk of patients complaining and patients requesting for reimbursement may have also been contributing factors to the decreased frequency of incident reporting ( Azyabi et al ., 2021 ). Mistakes do happen in the radiology department , but they can be controlled by adhering to the rules ( Pinto et al ., 2012 ). Real incidents can be decreased via the use of RSC measures , including providing non-punitive reactions to mistakes . Such measures also promote incident reporting and education , which can improve quality and safety ( Toledo et al ., 2023 ).

The study recommends interventions for MRTs and their organizations to improve nonpunitive response , leadership actions , and error reporting , which were the dimensions with the lowest scores in the RSC . Implementation strategies involve encouraging MRTs to report errors without fear of retribution , integrating leadership skills training , and familiarizing them with error reporting systems through hands-on sessions . For organizations , establishing clear , non-punitive error reporting policies , introducing recognition programs for safety contributions , implementing accessible reporting systems , and holding regular meetings to discuss and learn from reported issues are essential . Practical examples include regular error reporting and leadership training workshops for MRTs , the establishment of feedback and recognition systems to motivate safety-oriented behaviors , development of accessible online reporting systems accompanied by safety meetings for continuous learning , leadership development programs for senior staff , and team-building activities to foster collaboration and communication . These focused strategies aim to significantly improve RSC in medical imaging departments , leading to safer patient care and a more positive work environment .

5 Conclusion

This study assessed the RSC among Saudi MRTs in medical imaging departments and presented its findings to support future improvement . The current level of perception of RSC is within moderate to high levels . However , poor perception of the non-punitive response scale was revealed in