Imagine being told you are terminally ill; or that you have to live with a tumour for the rest of your life fearing that it may manifest into malignancy. Better yet, envision what it is like to be told that the breast cancer you battled a few years ago has returned, except this time, has “spread to your liver and bones. ” Each of the aforementioned stories rings true in my life and the lives of my loved ones. Their experiences albeit negative, have fuelled my internal desire to pursue a career battling cancer.
Being on the flip side of the coin by far is the most important experience that I have gone through ensuring I am fit for a career as a Medical Radiation Technologist (M. R. T. ). I recognize, too well, the pain, agony, stress, and uncertainty that accompany one’s medical saga . It is in this regard that I have developed a morality of nurturing and a passion that ignites my very core, fostering an eternal need to help people cope with their ailments. Aside from what I have mentioned, I sincerely believe that my volunteer, work and academic experience will make me an excellent M.
R. T. because of the diversity and the personal skills I learned. For instance, my work at Grace Hospital with patients grappling with stable/complex health conditions brought me into contact with individuals wracked by stroke complications, dementia, and degenerative diseases, amongst other ailments. Thus I am well-versed in dealing with such conditions and am also proficient in communicating with patients who have chronic illnesses that defy easy amelioration .
This in particular, is reflective of the type of communication skills a M. R. T. must have whilst dealing with cancer patients. Another experience of mine which augurs well for my future in radiation therapy is my five-year experience as a Chiropractic Health Assistant. In this capacity, I helped patients from all walks of life deal with a wide array of diverse chronic/acute problems by assisting in taking health histories, administering basic tests and laser stimulation, and providing solid patient education/instruction.
As an addendum, I strongly believe that my background in life sciences and academic record reveals me to be a young person who is fully competent, well-versed in the latest methodologies vis-a-vis the delivery of health services, and completely at ease with the concepts and paradigms that make up the field of health sciences. More recently, working in laboratory research has enabled me to come into contact with advanced technology and develop a capacity for independent problem solving and analytical thinking.
In the end, it is both my personal and professional backgrounds that ensure that I am well-acquainted with the protocols, problem-based learning and professionalism expected of all Radiation Therapists. 2)Based upon your own research into pursuing Radiation Therapy as a potential career, what do you anticipate to be the most rewarding aspect of being a practicing Medical Radiation Technologist? What do you anticipate to be the most frustrating aspect of being a practicing Medical Radiation Technologist?
2) It was the year 2006 when I began volunteering at Grace Hospital; a role that I would assume over the course of two years. Going into the experience I remember being “emboldened by silence at the extensive pain and suffering many of the patients were facing. ” However, what I had taken away from this experience was the power of human touch. Despite these patients being unable to walk, talk, or in some cases move, the simple act of holding a hand, touching a shoulder, or giving a hug, seems to melt away fear, ease distress and provide comfort.
It is this feeling of doing something that matters and warrants being alive that I believe will be the most rewarding aspect of a career as a M. R. T. Radiation Therapists have to provide a unique sense of comfort as they are working with cancer patients whose lives have undergone complete turmoil since their diagnosis. Many patients are uncertain of their fate and are worried about so many things and need the M. R. T. to fulfill their need for information, support, or just to get them through each day of their lives as they undergo treatment.
The mere prospect of being a part of a patients’ recovery makes me feel like I am fulfilling my personal legend . However, given that being a M. R. T . requires working with sensitive patient populations; frustrations may stem from feelings of defeat and the inability to do something for someone in pain. A cancer diagnosis isn’t necessarily a death sentence; however, patient death is inevitable. The loss of a patient during the battle against cancer will be devastating for an M. R. T. Working in a hospital ward, I had come to know a patient who had lost her husband to suicide and had no family in Toronto.
I had gotten to know her over the course of a month or so when, one Thursday, I went into my shift and the nurses told me she had passed away. Losing her as a friend had devastated me; however, the knowledge that I had provided her with love, comfort and care fills me with happiness. As such, being an M. R. T. may involve losing patients, treating paediatric patients, and watching patients go through pain, agony and the side effects, all of which are frustrating. However, amidst those feelings of disparity there is a silver lining of that outweighs any and every frustration in the profession.
3) Collaborative patient centered care refers to a multi-tiered healthcare system with cross-communication between health service providers and a central focus on what matters to the patient rather than just ‘what the matter is. ’ It wasn’t until my aunt’s breast cancer had relapsed and spread to her liver and bones that I was able to see the full-capacity of this interdisciplinary approach to medicine. Her first step in the battle towards recovery was to go through bouts of radiation. However, this entailed working with a healthcare team.
Her radiation therapy team ranged from an oncologist, to a therapist, to a dentist amongst others. The most important part of the team; however, was my aunt and this is where the patient-centric component comes into play. Each patient’s situation is unique and there is no text-book answer to overcome a disease. Treatment is developed based on a case-to-case scenario with the patient playing an integral part in the process. In the context of my future, I plan to adopt this approach by integrating knowledge on both a patients’ medical history as well as non-medical issues that may negatively impact their health.
With this information, I can collaborate with other health professionals as well as the patient to come up with treatment regimes that cater to the unique aspects surrounding the patients’ welfare, always keeping in mind the aim to improve patient outcomes. Collaborative patient centered care is an approach that does not necessarily see to the guaranteed ‘healing’ of a patient, but rather ensures that all problem areas are addressed, hence; increasing the chances of the patient for a better quality of life, if not of healing.
In this particular approach, with the patient being the most important component of the medical team, treatment is done holistically, ensuring the harmonious participation of all the components of a human being in the ultimate goal and objective of healing. As a health care provider, this approach would ensure that the patient is given the best kind of service that is required, and allows me, as an M. R. T. to affirm myself that nothing has been left out in the treatment of my patie