Effect of patient handling education on radiation therapy students.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of an educational intervention on the knowledge, attitude, behavior and intention to use safe patient handling and movement (SPHM) of radiation therapy students during their initial clinical education experience. METHOD: Seventeen first-year students in a 2-year radiation therapy baccalaureate program received education on traditional manual patient handling and SPHM through 2 1-hour lectures and a 2-hour skills laboratory. Questionnaires and a group discussion were used to collect data on the students' knowledge, attitude, behavior and intention to use SPHM in clinical practice. RESULTS: Although students' patient handling knowledge improved following the educational intervention, their overall knowledge, attitude and intention to use SPHM did not change. However, fewer students perceived patient handling injuries to be a problem in radiation therapy after their initial clinical education. CONCLUSION: A gap exists between students' SPHM knowledge and their performance of the techniques. Educators should incorporate SPHM into their curriculum because the information helped students achieve high levels of perceived behavioral control, increased patient handling knowledge and positive attitudes regarding SPHM.