Submit manuscript...
eISSN: 2378-315X

Biometrics & Biostatistics International Journal

Research Article Volume 12 Issue 2

Scientific validation of the technologist’s training for the technological procedure in magnetic resonance imaging health sciences

Lic. Félix González Pérez,1 Dr. C Miriam Iglesias León,2 Dr. C Manuel E Cortés Cortés3

1Provincial Hospital of Cienfuegos, Cuba
2Cienfuegos University of Medical Sciences. Cuba
3University of Cienfuegos, Cuba

Correspondence: Manuel Cortés Cortés, Consultant Professor, Doctor in Economic Sciences, University of Cienfuegos Carlos Rafael Rodríguez, Cuba

Received: May 12, 2023 | Published: May 1, 2023

Citation: Pérez LFG, León MI, Cortés CMEC. Scientific validation of the technologist's training for the technological procedure in magnetic resonance imaging health sciences. Biom Biostat Int J. 2023;12(2):46-50 DOI: 10.15406/bbij.2023.12.00382

Download PDF

Abstract

Technological advances in science and today's rapidly changing healthcare environment, driven by demographic change and high economic pressures on healthcare systems, requiring disease diagnoses with high accuracy and specificity in a short period of time, implies that Magnetic Resonance Imaging must adapt to these challenges, as well as updating new approaches, This means that the Magnetic Resonance Imaging technique must adapt to these challenges, as well as the updating of new approaches, updated on Physical Principles, Human Anatomy and Radiological Semiology, in the theoretical-practical skills in the performance of technologists, related to the procedure of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging technique, which demands the need to scientifically validate a proposal for the training of the health technologist in Magnetic Resonance Imaging in its technological procedure.

Objective: The objective of the present work is to scientifically validate a proposal for the training of the technologist in the technological procedure in Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Health Sciences.

Methods: Methods of the theoretical level such as the synthetic analytical, of the empirical level the observation and of the mathematical statistical level the statistical analysis of the methods used, the Expert criterion, with the Delphi method were applied.

These methods made it possible to propose the needs of the Technologist in the technological procedure for his training in Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The proposal was scientifically assessed by experts by means of the Delphi method and was applied to the technologists of the Provincial Hospital of Cienfuegos, Cuba.

Results: The scientific validation is evidenced, through the Delhi Method and Expert Criteria, of the proposal for the training of the Technologist in the technological procedure in Magnetic Resonance Imaging, for medical health. The updating of the contents on the Physical Principles, Human Anatomy and signs of Radiological Semiology, through theoretical and practical workshops in the workplace, stands out.

Conclusions: The proposal was validated as very adequate by the experts and its application in the context of Secondary Health Care demonstrated its relevance. It is considered that in the training of the Technologist, the technological procedure for Magnetic Resonance Imaging requires the updating of Physical Principles, Human Anatomy and signs of Radiological Semiology.

Keywords: technological proceeding, magnetic resonance imaging, technologist training, delphi method

Introduction

The knowledge system of Magnetic Resonance Imaging technique is reflected in the proper movement of Imaging as a science of medical imaging that deals with all normal and abnormal images, structures, tissues and internal organs.1

The technique of Magnetic Resonance Imaging: is based on the ability of some nuclei to absorb radiofrequency waves, when subjected to the effect of a magnetic field.2 Among the gaps to be solved in the training of the technologist for the technological procedure, there are updating needs related to the technique of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, such as Physical Principles, Human Anatomy and signs of Radiological Semiology.

The Magnetic Resonance Imaging technique constitutes a body of knowledge and skills aimed at satisfying the scientific needs of this professional's training. It is nourished by essential contents, provided by particular sciences such as Physics, Human Anatomy, Radiological Semiology and in general by the Medical Sciences; all these contents are approached in an integrated and/or coordinated manner.

The articulation of the logic of the theoretical-practical process in the formation of the technologists' technological procedure requires training in: the technique of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, the contents of the Physical Principles, Human Anatomy and signs of Radiological Semiology. Mastery of these contents is required. Assuming this position, it is possible that Imaging and Medical Radio Physics need to assimilate knowledge, skills and values "to teach these contents from a precept: from the logic of science and social practice.3

It is agreed that nowadays it is known with certainty that, in the organized preparation for professionals, priority is given to the contents of the particular science they practice, it is considered that along with the knowledge of the science they need, they must be prepared in professional practice to master the practical skills of the profesión.4

The training of technologists is conceived as a process of transmission of the knowledge of their specialty and the implication of this knowledge in their performance, in addition to using personal experiences and their scientific-technical updating in the area of the profession in which they work. This approach leaves its mark in the selection and prioritization of knowledge, in the way professional problems are handled and in the orientation of contents towards practice.5

In references, they allude to offers and spaces for training in research, management, pedagogy and knowledge management. They recommend different modalities that focus their content on particular branches within the different branches of knowledge.6

In the Medical Sciences, as in other areas of knowledge, it is common to implement proposals that promote learning content related to the appropriate use of information and communications technology, information literacy, knowledge management and distance learning models.7

In this sense, in the current context it is evident in the training of imaging technologists that there are gaps in the training of the technique in Magnetic Resonance Imaging, therefore, it is necessary to update the contents in:

  1. Physical Principles (examination sequences, radiological protection, as well as establishing a correlation between the physics of magnetic resonance as an expression in human anatomy and radiological semiology).
  2. Human Anatomy (anatomy of organ systems, applied to MRI physics).
  3. Content such as signs of Radiological Semiology (comparison of normal images with pathological images of organ systems, according to the sequences and physical principles of this diagnostic technique).
  4. These contents constitute a need to be resolved in the training of Medical Imaging and Radiophysics technologists.

This implies, therefore, a change of conception about the importance and transcendence of education at work, which facilitates the development of attitudes committed to the contents of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging technique from each of the contents of Introduction to Technology and Comprehensive Training in Imaging. In the process, it is essential that the thematic nuclei proposed are approached in an integrated manner, where the fundamental scenarios of their execution are in health institutions.

The training conditions of the contents of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in current professional practice should be aimed at achieving mastery of the theoretical and procedural knowledge of how to work with an integrated approach. To be able to appropriate the conceptual, procedural and attitudinal contents in the model demanded by the social conditions of health. The actuality of these contents, through theoretical and practical training as a way of professional preparation will favor an integral performance.

Material and methods

Analytical-synthetic: To analyze the existing literature on the technological procedure of the technique in Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the technologist of Health Sciences.

Observation is to assess the skills of the technological procedure for the Magnetic Resonance Technique in the technologist.

Expert Criteria (Delphi Method). The method used to validate the proposal for the training of the Technologist in the technological procedure of the Magnetic Resonance Technique, through the application of surveys. For the selection of the experts, the coefficients of knowledge Kc and argumentation Ka of the experts were taken, selecting 16 of them from the Health System. The competence coefficient K = ½ (Kc + Ka)8,9 was calculated. Scale for the selection of the experts, according to the coefficient K is taken as:

 high competence if K > 0.8

 medium competence if 0.5 < K ≤0.8

 low competence if K ≤0.5

The average value of K for the 16 experts was: average K = 0.85 with average values Kc = 0.9 and Ka = 0.8. The Delphi method is applied by means of a survey to the selected experts for their evaluation of the criteria previously elaborated in the evaluation categories according to the Likert scale (1. Inadequate, 2. Poorly Adequate, 3. Adequate, 4. Fairly Adequate and 5. Very Adequate), in this way the 36 aspects or criteria are evaluated by the experts.

Results

The objective of the present work is to scientifically validate a proposal for the training of the health technologist in Magnetic Resonance Imaging in its technological procedure.

Steps to be followed

The statistical steps to be followed by the Delphi method are as follows:9,10

  1. Calculation of the table of observed frequencies
  2. Calculation of accumulated frequency table
  3. Calculation of the relative cumulative frequency table
  4. Calculation of accumulated inverse normal inverse frequency table,
  5. Calculation of the average by aspects.
  6. Calculation of the N-P value for each aspect.
  7. Calculation of the Numerical Ray or cut-off points for the location of each aspect
  8. According to the experts' criteria.
  9. Calculation of Kendall's W Coefficient to obtain the experts' agreement on the results (Table 1 & 2, Figure 1).

Figure 1 Numerical ray or cut-off points./p>

Table of observed frequencies

1

2

3

4

5

General objective: To contribute to the training of the technologist in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

0

1

0

0

15

Stage 1 Diagnosis of the technological procedure in magnetic resonance imaging technologists.

0

1

0

0

15

Objective: To diagnose the training needs of the technologist in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

0

0

1

0

15

Fundamental actions

         

a) Characterization of Magnetic Resonance Imaging technologists.

1

0

1

0

14

b) Identification of the main needs of the technologist in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

0

0

1

1

14

c) Determination of the technologist's needs in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

0

1

0

0

15

d) Analysis of the conditions of the context, in the technological procedure of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging technologist.

0

0

0

0

16

e) Definition of the ways to update the technologist in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

0

0

2

0

14

f) Knowledge of the technologist's updated content on the technological procedure on Magnetic resonance imaging

0

0

2

0

14

Stage 2 Planning of the technologist's training in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

0

0

1

0

15

Objective

0

0

1

1

14

To plan the training in the Technologist the technological proceeding on Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Fundamental actions

         

a) Determine the objectives and contents of the training of the technologist in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, according to the diagnosis made.

0

1

1

1

13

b) To organize the conditions to develop the instructive and educational activities in the training of the technologist in Magnetic Resonance Imaging. of Health.

1

0

1

1

13

c) To elaborate the activities, with the contents of the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging according to the diagnosis.

0

1

1

1

13

d) To organize the orientations for the different theoretical and practical activities planned.

0

0

2

0

14

 e) Organization of theoretical and practical training activities through theoretical and practical workshops in order to contribute to the training in the technological procedure of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging technologist.

1

0

1

1

13

f) To consider in the theoretical and practical activities, on the training in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

0

0

1

0

15

· To develop each of the proposed activities, the interrelation between them linking the theoretical and practical, with theoretical and practical actions that enable the technological procedure of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist.

0

0

1

1

14

· Consider the diagnosis made in the first stage the technological procedure of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist.

0

0

1

0

15

· To create conditions at work (hospital context) to carry out the workshops proposed in order to contribute to the training in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

0

1

0

0

15

· To structure the contents of the workshops on the training of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists

0

0

0

1

15

Stage 3 Execution of the training of the technologist in the technological procedure in magnetic resonance imaging.

0

0

0

0

16

Objective

0

0

1

0

15

 Execute the planned theoretical and practical training activities in the technological procedure of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist

Fundamental actions:

         

· Develop the planned forms of training (Workshops) with theoretical and practical activities, for the training of the Technologist in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

0

0

1

0

15

· To guarantee in the execution of the instructive and educational training in an integrated way in the performance of the Technologist, by means of the objectives, contents and conditions in the hospital context.

0

0

1

0

15

· To develop in the workshops theoretical and methodological debates on the actuality of the contents related to the technological procedure of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist, and the characteristics of the Health Technologies.

1

0

0

0

15

· To guarantee workshops for the development of practical activities, related to the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

0

0

1

0

15

· The training, which the author selected (theoretical and practical workshops), for the training of technologists, will be carried out in an interrelated, contextualize way and with cooperative exchange.

0

0

1

0

15

· Enable teamwork in workshops for training in the technological procedure of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist in accordance with the requirements of Health Technologies.

0

0

1

0

15

Stage 4 Evaluation and improvement of the technologist's training strategy in the technological procedure in magnetic resonance imaging

0

0

1

0

15

Objective;_To evaluate the results achieved, in the training activities defined in the Strategy in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists

Actions for this stage

         

· Theoretical and practical activities of each workshop selected in the technological procedure of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist will be evaluated.

0

0

2

0

14

· The planned training activities will be evaluated using self-evaluation, co-evaluation and heteroevaluation.

0

0

2

0

14

· Team work will be used to develop the evaluation in the workshops in the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging by the technologists.

0

0

2

0

14

· To carry out group exchanges, created for this purpose, and to socialize the results, once the training received has been completed, in a systematic way, as set out in the strategy.

0

0

2

0

14

· Workshops are recommended, to use the correction of the difficulties both in the instructive and educational levels when interacting with individual and group experiences.

1

0

2

0

13

· To correct the details that are pending in the treatment of the selected topics, which favors in the Technologist the technological procedure of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, as well as to evaluate the strategy used and its improvement proposal.

0

0

2

0

14

Table 1 Strategy for the formation of the technologist in the technological procedure in magnetic resonance imaging in health sciences

Aspects to be evaluated

Average by aspects

N-P Value

General Objective

-1.923

0.389

Stage 1

-1.923

0.389

ObjectiveE1

-2.312

0.778

Action E1a

-0.186

-1.346

Action E1b

-2.216

0.683

E1c Share

-1.923

0.389

E1d share

-2.12

0.587

E1e share

-2.605

1.071

Action E1f

-2.312

0.778

Stage 2

-2.216

0.683

Target E2

-2.054

0.521

Action E2a

-1.665

0.132

Action E2b

-0.12

-1.412

E2c Stock

-1.665

0.132

E2d share

-2.12

0.587

E2f Stock E2f

-0.12

-1.412

Action E2g

-2.046

0.512

Develop

-2.216

0.683

Consider

-2.312

0.778

Create

-1.923

0.389

Structure

-2.701

1.167

Stage 3 3

3 -3.09

1.556

Objective E3

-2.312

0.778

Action E3 Develop

-2.312

0.778

Action E3 Ensure

-2.312

0.778

Action E3 Develop 1

-0.378

-1.155

Action E3 Guarantee 2

-2.312

0.778

Action E3 Forms -2.312 0.77

-2.312

0.778

Action E3 Enable

-2.312

0.778

Stage 4 Objectives

-2.312

0.778

Co-evaluation and Hetero-evaluation.

-2.12

0.587

Shares E4 to Evaluate

-2.12

0.587

Action E4 Evaluate

-2.12

0.587

Action E34 Utilize

-2.12

0.587

Action E4 Perform

-0.054

-1.478

Action E4 Recommend

-2.12

0.587

Table 2 Delphi method average by aspects and N-P values

The 36 aspects have been well evaluated by the experts falling in the following ranges: Fairly Adequate = 4 aspects, Very Adequate = 32 aspects. So the Delphi result gives that all aspects are validated very positively by the 16 experts.

Kendall´s W test

Table 3.

 

Mean rank

Inadequate

2,07

Poorly Adequate

2,19

Adequate

3,43

Fairly Adequate

2,31

Very Adequate

5,00

Table 3 Kendall´s W Test

Kendall´s coeficient of concordance

Table 4.

N Kendall’s Wa

36,771

Chi-Square

111,092

df Asymp. Sig.

4,000

Table 4 Kendall´s coeficient of concordance/p>

Kendall's coefficient confirms the experts' agreement with the results of the Delphi method

Table 5.

Aspect

% consider it very necessary

For the magnetic resonance imaging technique in imaging and medical Radiophysics technologists

100%

For physical principles

89%

For human anatomy

87%

For semiology and imaging

81%

Table 5 Results of the survey applied to the technologists on the need to update the contents

Discussion

This research considers central elements for a proposal for the training of the health technologist in: Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Physical principles, Human Anatomy, Semiology and Imaging, aspects to be taken into account in the whole process.

Conclusion

The result of the validation of the Strategy for the training of the Technologist in technological procedure is presented, with the updating of theoretical and practical knowledge in Magnetic Resonance Imaging, in the contents of the Physical principles, Human Anatomy and Semiology and Imaging, the same was carried out by means of the Delphi Technique and the Expert criteria method.

It was demonstrated that the proposed strategy is pertinent given the results of the Numerical Ray which shows that the experts consulted coincide with the criteria of: Very adequate and Fairly adequate with the activities planned in the stages of the strategy consulted. The concordance of the experts was corroborated by the calculation of Kendall's W coefficient. The strategy to improve the training of these health professionals is presented, and its contribution to the better performance of the technologists in their technological procedures in Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Acknowledgments

None.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Funding

None.

References

  1. Carlos JUS, Dayana UM.  Imaging Manual. Editorial Ciencias Médicas. 3rd ed. Havana: Cuba. 2017.
  2. Pérez C. Diagnostic imaging means in rehabilitation. Editorial Ciencias Médicas. Havana: Cuba. 2011.
  3. Sintes RA, Curbelo GJT, Rodríguez MQ, et al. Introduction to health technology. Havana. 2003.
  4. Milián PZ. Pedagogical strategy for the improvement of the tutor's professional pedagogical performance in the elementary school as a micro university. Thesis for the option of the scientific degree of Doctor in Pedagogical Sciences. ISPEJV. Havana; 2007.
  5. Topic of introduction to pedagogical training. Havana, People and education. 2016.
  6. Visval LA, Iglesias JO, Osuna IB. Research methodology for health sciences. Havana, Cuba. Ecimed. 2009.
  7. Nieva JA, Martínez O. A new perspective on teacher training in the national learning service in Colombia. Revista Cubana Educación Superior. 2017;36(1).
  8. Cortés M, Iglesias M. Generalities of research methodology. Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico: Universidad Autónoma del Carmen; 2004.
  9. Cortés M, Iglesias M, Pérez C, et al. Project steps in research in scientific projects in the process of training and knowledge management in universities. J Edu Cooperate Social Welfare. 2015;4(9):27–34.
  10. Borges TC. Answers to 16 questions on the use of experts in pedagogical research. Lima, Peru: Universidad Mayor de San Marcos. 2007.
Creative Commons Attribution License

©2023 Pérez, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.