Publications by authors named "Osmar K"
Introduction: Indigenous peoples in Canada have a higher cancer burden and shorter life expectancy compared to the non-Indigenous population. Canada's colonial legacy has resulted in many Indigenous people experiencing high mistrust in healthcare providers which can result in healthcare avoidance, such as delays seeking preventative care as well as lower screening rates. This may be compounded by language barriers as well as a lack of culturally safe care in healthcare settings.
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- Indigenous people are getting cancer more than non-Indigenous Canadians, and their unique situations make it harder for them to get the care they need.
- A study in Northern Alberta involved Indigenous cancer survivors sharing their experiences to find ways to improve their healthcare.
- Key findings suggest it's important to have culturally aware staff and support systems, build relationships, and focus on family care to help Indigenous patients feel safer and get better treatment.
Surveying the landscape: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cancer resources in radiation therapy.
J Med Imaging Radiat Sci
March 2024
Introduction/background: Alberta Health Services (AHS) is Canada's largest provincial integrated health care authority. AHS services over four million people with over 100,000 employees. In 2018, AHS introduced Indigenous training modules which were mandatory for all staff.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCOVID-19 stories of success: Teaching and learning in a clinical setting during a pandemic.
J Med Imaging Radiat Sci
December 2021
Article Synopsis
- The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted university operations, particularly for 2nd year radiation therapy students during their first clinical placement, leading to increased anxiety related to health risks.
- Clinical faculty implemented new strategies focusing on enhanced communication, safety measures, mental wellness sessions, and resources to support students during their orientation and clinical activities.
- Survey results showed that students felt supported by these measures, although challenges such as communication difficulties and protocol changes were noted, emphasizing the need for better coordination in education.
A Qualitative Analysis of Human Error During the DIBH Procedure.
J Med Imaging Radiat Sci
September 2019
Article Synopsis
- This study looked at mistakes made during a special kind of cancer treatment called DIBH at a healthcare center to find ways to reduce these errors.
- Researchers reviewed 82 reports about these errors and found that most were caused by distractions or problems in the treatment process.
- They recommended four main solutions: using a system to help make sure everything is done right, improving procedures, managing how much work staff have, and updating checklists to prevent mistakes.
Article Synopsis
- Radiation oncology Care Plans standardize radiation therapy procedures, facilitating workflows and mandatory data capture in electronic systems, but integrating them is complex and requires redesigning existing processes.
- The development involved a core group of stakeholders and a three-phase planning approach that included gathering protocols, creating workflow maps, and integrating design concepts into the authoring framework.
- Post-implementation feedback indicated successful standardization of clinical processes such as patient booking and automated task management through the IQ Script enabled Care Plans.
Article Synopsis
- Patient education is super important for helping cancer patients understand their treatment and how to deal with side effects.
- Radiation therapists share helpful and research-backed info to make sure patients know what to expect during their care.
- The paper talks about creating a new visual aid for radiation therapy patients that can help those who speak different languages, making it easier for them to learn and understand.
Providing cancer patients with more information regarding their treatments allows them to feel more in control, increases self efficacy, and can decrease anxiety. The aims of the present study were to develop an interprofessional group education session and to evaluate the usefulness and acceptability of this session. In addition, informational distress levels pre- and post-education were evaluated.
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