title: Effect of patient handling education on radiation therapy students.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: College of Health Professions at Grand Valley State University, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: DeRoo
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rau
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hollenbeck
authors.forename: Bonita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pawloski
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003479:Curriculum; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055805:Moving and Lifting Patients / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000592:standards*; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000193:education*