Episode Details

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses cancer and radiation treatments.

Description: In this educational episode, Naman Julka-Anderson and Jo McNamara sit down with Nicole Harnett and Natalie Rozanec to discuss their pioneering work around advanced practice in radiation therapy in Canada. This episode is a deep dive into both Nicole and Natalie’s experiences as healthcare professionals, teaching and improving practice for all.

Nicole Harnett, Director of the Accelerated Education Program of the Radiation Medicine Program at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PMCC), an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto (UTDRO), and the Director, Curriculum for the Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, also at UT, will present her experience in starting advanced practice radiation therapist roles in Ontario.

Natalie Rozanec is the manager of the Radiation Therapy Department at the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre at Southlake Health, in Newmarket, Canada. She has worked for 11 years as an Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist, with a focus on improving patient care in palliative radiotherapy and improving access to care. Natalie graduated from the Medical Radiation Sciences Program at the University of Toronto/Michener Institute in 2009. She worked at the Southlake Health since 2010, both as a radiation therapist and clinical trials coordinator. In 2012, Natalie transitioned to Advanced Practice Radiation Therapy. She went on to complete her MSc. Advanced Practice (Radiotherapy and Oncology) from Sheffield Hallam University in 2018 and APRT(T) certification with the CAMRT in 2019. Natalie is a Lecturer at the University of Toronto Department of Radiation Oncology, teaching family medicine residents, fellows, radiation therapy students and community care providers about research and palliative radiotherapy.

Episode 156: Part of the Workforce and Education series Series (Part 54)

CPD Reflection Points:

1. Read this article about radiation therapist advanced practice and how it can change the future of radiotherapy: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240563242400012X.
2. Consider how advanced practice could improve your practice. 
3. If you are already working at an advanced practice level, consider how you could support others to achieve this level of practice.

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Links from the Episode:

• Zotero Link for Canadian Publications related to Advanced Practice: https://www.zotero.org/groups/2500539/professionalpractice/collections/NPUUBMIT

Research links from the Episode:

• Lavergne C, Rozanec N, Harnett N. The palliative clinical specialist radiation therapist: A CAMRT White Paper. J Med Imaging Radiat Sci. 2021 Sep 29:S1939-8654(21)00198-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jmir.2021.08.016.  SRA
• Harnett N, Bak K, Lockhart E, Ang M, Zychla L, Gutierrez E, Warde P. The Clinical Specialist Radiation Therapist(CSRT): A case study exploring the effectiveness of a new advanced practice role in Canada. J Med Radiat Sci. 2018 Jun;65(2):86-96. doi: 10.1002/jmrs.281. PA, SRA
• Harnett N, Bak K, Zychla L, Gutierrez E, Warde P. Defining advanced practic