This research work is a prospective study carried out at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), ESUT Teaching Hospital (PARKLANE), National Orthopaedic Hospital (NOHE) and some private hospitals all in Enugu metropolis. The aim of this study is to assess the perceptions of Nigerian trained fresh graduate radiographers on preparedness for clinical practice in Nigeria. A non-experimental prospective study design that involved male and female respondent between the age range of 20-39 with working experience of 0-3 years. The result of this study noted that undergraduates should be exposed to more of practical lectures than theoretical lectures. Also, there was high demand for intense training in areas of other imaging modalities, example, Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), ultrasound. Hence; the need for improvement and restructuring curriculum arises inorder to boost confidence and preparedness in present day student radiographers.
Over the last decades, there have been potentials for radiographers to extend their roles as healthcare professionals and also develop their careers. Therefore, there is need for improved clinical skills and increased confidence.
The purpose of this study is to assess the opinion of Nigerian- trained radiographers already employed in Nigerian that is, in Enugu metropolis, on how well they were prepared in their various universities during their B.Sc training years and the impact of these training on their clinical practice at present. Thus there is need to assess Nigerian-trained radiographer’s perception of clinical competence in their place of practice.
Current and valid research on preparedness of trained graduates to confidently practice, exists in medicine and Nursing science which explores how well their curriculum prepare their students for clinical practice but not much work has been done in radiography, thus the need for this research work.
In recent times, most graduates trained in Nigeria specifically practicing in different states in Nigeria are expected to practice depending on their pre-training undergone during their undergraduate years (B.Sc). It is therefore difficult to ascertain if the B.Sc training they had undergone can serve as a pathway to explore their talents while working as healthcare professionals in Nigeria. This B.Sc training in radiography is considered to have prepared these graduates as knowledgeable practitioners with the potential for independent decision making when it is needed. The B.Sc training is also focused on the needs to produce graduates who should be able to perform well in a well range of areas including evidence based practice, knowledge of the personal and professional scope of practice, use of information and communication technology and who can finally think logically and intelligently when presented with rare or difficult health cases.
The training programme is also aimed at providing deep rather than superficial learning. It therefore supports the need for continuing professional’s development and produce graduates with creative thinking and skills that make them better prepared for the demands of their job in any part of the world they find themselves, in the near future. This research work is therefore carried out to assess if these graduates start practicing their career with a sense of feeling that they were prematurely prepared for their role as radiographers or whether they start practicing with a feeling that they were well prepared and intensively equipped for professional task.
Also, the information gotten from these Nigerian trained graduate radiographers who are already employed, will serve as a tool for knowing if B.Sc curriculum development and advice on methodological improvement is needed or not. The information gotten will also assist in improving preparedness of undergraduate’s competence and fitness for practice wherever they might find themselves around the globe.
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