Faculty members:

Sophie Perryck

sophie.perryck@usz.ch   

Elizabeth Forde

eforde@tcd.ie

Phil Scherer

p.scherer@salk.at

Nigel Anderson

nigel.anderson2@austin.org.au  

 

Short Title: Boosting recruitment and retention in radiation therapy

Keywords: Radiation therapist Workforce, recruitment, retention, job satisfaction, burnout, resilience

 

Motivation:

Staff recruitment and retention is a critical global issue in radiation therapy.  Whilst it is true that our workforce is a casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic, the issue is multidimensional and cannot be solely attributed to the pandemic.  This workshop aims to explore factors influencing recruitment and retention, and to develop tangible solutions to support staff staying in the profession.

We will begin from a positive perspective by first revisiting why RTTs chose to enter the field.  We will discuss why some staff are motivated to stay, emphasising the more rewarding aspects of the career.  The goal here is to remind staff of the value and satisfaction of the role, fostering a sense of pride and commitment.  This will then be balanced by an exploration of why some staff may feel compelled to leave. Presentations on core topics from a global perspective will serve as a foundation for smaller group discussion, allowing participants to further explore key themes. The workshop will then shift the focus to actionable solutions to prevent attrition.  Various strategies will be explored with participants which have shown to enhance job satisfaction, and support staff retention. We will specifically be drawing on the positive workplace cultures of participants’ departments, as well as the literature base. In addition to exploring resources to enhance job satisfaction and staff well-being, possibilities to strengthen resilience as well as the role of education, and continuous education in this regard will be discussed.

By considering a wide range of perspectives, together we hope to develop practical measures to support RTTs, thereby ensuring longevity and satisfaction of our workforce.  The proposed output of this workshop is a position paper on issues impacting recruitment, retention, and attrition in radiation therapy.