Prosthetic Reconstruction, Rehabilitation & Surgical Planning —
Training activity: 19

Details

Plan, design and manufacture devices to support therapeutic radiotherapy considering the safety and comfort of patients

Type

Developmental training activity (DTA)

Evidence requirements

Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee​.

Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.

An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.

Reflective practice guidance

The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.

Before action

• What are the key considerations for patient safety and comfort during radiotherapy?
• What specific devices are used to aid radiotherapy treatment?
• What are the manufacturing techniques used for making therapeutic radiotherapy devices.
• What will you learn about the principles of radiotherapy treatment and the role of custom-made devices?
• What design features are crucial for ensuring accurate radiation delivery while maintaining patient comfort?
• What material properties are important for radiotherapy support devices?
• Have you discussed the requirements for radiotherapy support devices with radiation oncologists and therapists?
• Have you reviewed examples of different types of devices used in radiotherapy?
• Have you considered the potential impact of the device material on the radiation beam?

In action

• As you plan, design, and manufacture radiotherapy support devices, are you prioritising both the accurate delivery of radiation and the patient’s comfort and safety during treatment? What immediate design and manufacturing decisions are you making regarding material selection, device stability, and patient positioning? Are you consciously integrating principles of radiation oncology and patient care as you proceed?
• Is your planning process effectively addressing the specific requirements of the radiotherapy treatment plan and patient needs? Are you encountering any challenges in manufacturing devices that meet the necessary precision and safety standards? What immediate learning is occurring as you consider the interplay between device design and radiation delivery? How does this activity connect to your understanding of radiation therapy principles and medical device safety?
• If your initial device design encounters difficulties in achieving the required accuracy or patient comfort, what alternative designs or manufacturing techniques are you considering in real-time? Do you need to consult with radiation oncologists or radiographers regarding the specific requirements of the treatment plan? Are you ensuring that your device design and manufacturing adhere to strict safety protocols and regulatory guidelines?

On action

• Describe the specific requirements for devices to support therapeutic radiotherapy, emphasising patient safety and comfort. What considerations influenced your planning and design to ensure these factors? Describe the manufacturing process of the devices. How did you ensure the devices met the necessary safety standards and considered patient comfort?
• What specific skills or knowledge did you develop or improve in planning, designing, and manufacturing radiotherapy support devices? What did you learn about the principles of therapeutic radiotherapy and the importance of accurate device placement and patient immobilisation? Were there any unexpected challenges or successes during the process? What did you learn from these? How did you integrate safety and comfort considerations into the design and manufacturing process?
• What areas for continued development have you identified in creating radiotherapy support devices? How can you apply the knowledge and skills gained to future cases requiring such devices? What resources or support might you need to further develop in this area, such as understanding radiotherapy protocols?

Beyond action

• Have you revisited experiences with radiotherapy support devices? How has your understanding of radiation therapy principles and the specific requirements for devices used in this context developed?
• How have these experiences impacted upon your current practice in ensuring patient safety and comfort when designing devices for medical treatments? Are you more aware of material properties and infection control?
• How might these experiences contribute towards your future practice in collaborating with oncology teams or developing advanced shielding or positioning devices? What did you learn about radiation safety and device fixation?

Relevant learning outcomes

#	Outcome
# 1	Outcome Deliver quality patient centred care with the best interests of patients in all elements of practice.
# 2	Outcome Practice in accordance with local and national health and safety policies, regulatory requirements and overall service governance.
# 3	Outcome Communicate effectively with patients, relatives, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders.
# 4	Outcome Identify patients who need further specialist support and refer to the appropriate healthcare specialist.
# 6	Outcome Perform clinical investigations, formulate treatment plans and manufacture medical devices to a safe clinical standard.
# 8	Outcome Select appropriate biomedical materials and components/instrumentation used in the treatment of patients and the manufacture of custom-made medical devices.
# 9	Outcome Practice in partnership with other clinical specialisms as part of a multidisciplinary team and understand their roles and their impact on patient care and pathway.
# 10	Outcome Apply the principals of a quality management system to their professional practice.
# 12	Outcome Assess and interpret patients’ needs to provide customised treatment dependent on medical, physical, social and psychological requirements.