Breaking down barriers: Understanding positive deviance in the context of undergraduate radiography research culture: UKIO2023

Background Positive deviance describes the behaviour of successful people in clinical situations (Baxter et al. 2016; Lawton et al. 2014). Diagnostic Radiography students in two higher education settings were asked what skills or attributes they felt were important in becoming a successful researcher in radiography. Method This qualitative study used a creative interviewing method to explore six students' perceptions of success in relation to research. They were asked about their understanding of the importance of research for radiography and to describe and draw what they felt were the ideal skills and attributes held by successful research radiographers and students, meaning those who they thought were overcoming barriers placed in their way, and how they felt they matched these ideals themselves. Results Data were analysed and presented using Co-Constructed Depiction method (McKnight 2022). Students mentioned skills such as organisation and keeping informed, and attributes such as a willingness to learn, being inquisitive, confident, and having a collaborative approach to research Overall, they identified positive deviants in radiography research as being critical practitioners who are keen to implement knowledge into care. Conclusion What students believed would enable high achievement in their studies and as practitioners is informed by their beliefs in what an 'ideal research radiographer' might look like. By asking about how barriers are surmounted, rather than the nature of those barriers, it seems that some barriers are internal. With this knowledge, educators can encourage self belief and help students build their own skills and attributes to model positive deviants themselves. Baxter, R., Taylor, N., Kellar, I. and Lawton, R. (2016). "What Methods Are Used to Apply Positive Deviance within Healthcare Organisations? A Systematic Review." BMJ quality & safety 25, no. 3: 190-201. Lawton, R., Taylor, N., Clay-Williams, R. and Braithwaite, J. (2014). "Positive Deviance: A Different Approach to Achieving Patient Safety." BMJ quality & safety 23, no. 11: 880-883. McKnight, K. L. (2022) Research pedagogy in a UK radiography education setting. Radiography (Lond), 28(1), pp. 80-87.