Abstract
As medical imaging advances and the demand of radiological services increases, healthcare professionals need to adapt innovation to improve healthcare service delivery. Numerous developed countries have embraced role extension as one of the strategies to address the shortage of radiologists in the healthcare systems. Role extension is proving beneficial, as it has shown to be cost effective, reduces waiting times for patients, and thus improves service delivery. Furthermore, role extension has shown to increase job satisfaction amongst sonographers and reduce workload for radiologists. However, in South Africa (SA), there is a lack of insight about role extension amongst sonographers, its trajectory and trends have not yet been explored.
Aim
The aim of this research study was to explore and describe the perceptions of South African sonographers on role extension in ultrasound.
Method
A qualitative, exploratory-descriptive design was employed, with data collected through semi-structured interviews conducted via five focus groups held on the Microsoft Teams platform. These groups included a total of 20 sonographers from various provinces across the country. Participants were selected using purposive and snowball sampling methods, continuing until data saturation was achieved. The data was transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data and revealed three major themes. These include, “hesitation towards role extension”, “lack of support and potential rejections” and “the potential benefits of role extension”.
Results
These findings suggest that while participants view role extension in a positive light and beneficial, it may present with challenges that may discourage the sonographers from extending their roles. Role extension in South Africa should be approached with caution, as the need for formal education and training is crucial for the successful implementation of role extension. This study offers valuable insight for higher
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educational institutions, the National Department of Health and statutory bodies whose aim is to improve the quality of healthcare service delivery in South Africa.