SEIU-West's Education Committee sponsored two members to attend the Combined Laboratory X-Ray Technologist (CLXT) 2024 Conference.
Whenever we send folks to attend events, we ask that they provide a report so that others that weren't able to attend can still learn what the conference was about. Please have a read:
Laurel:
I want to start by thanking SEIU-West for selecting me as one of the SACLXT members to attend the SACLXT 2024 annual conference which was held on October 19, 2024 at the Saskatoon Inn.
Our conference day started off early, with a welcome and breakfast at 7:30am. We had a quite a few speakers, mostly speaking on mental health and the workplace. As CLXT’s, we have a lot of responsibilities, both in lab and in x-ray, which takes a toll on our mental health.
Dr. Strydom from Melfort spoke to us about practicing and working in a rural community and the challenges that come with working in rural Saskatchewan. A paramedic from STARS Saskatoon spoke to us about the process of how they get called out to different areas in the province. We had a lady speaker that has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and spoke to us about PTSD and how she copes with that. She also gave us some references and guides on how to help with mental health issues. A doctor of radiology spoke to us about the improvements that Artificial Intelligence will have on diagnostic imaging.
The Saskatchewan Polytech program heads from the CLXT program in Saskatoon also came to speak to us about the changes and improvements to the program going forward. An employee of the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA)also spoke to us about mental health and the resources that are available to us as SHA employees.
The conference day also included our Annual General Meeting (AGM). This AGM is always very informative, as we discussed as a group, the different policies and procedures pertaining to our job scope and workplaces. We also discussed having our AGM and 2025 annual conference in Regina or Moose Jaw next year. Our conference concluded at 5pm.
Thanks again.
Nikka:
On October 19th, 2024, I was fortunate to be selected by SEIU-West to attend my first SACLXT Fall Conference in Saskatoon. It was great to meet and share experiences with some of my fellow CLXTs from across the province. I am grateful to our SACLXT board members that organized this conference and to be able to learn from the six informative speakers.
Dr. Scott Adams, a cardiothoracic radiologist from Saskatoon was our first speaker. He talked about the future of medical imaging with the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI). It was interesting to learn about the advancements of AI technology and how it can improve efficiency on delivering medical reports to our physicians and patients. Dr. Adams shared how AI can gather algorithms that may improve imaging acquisition.
Our second speaker was Dr. Glenda Wright who talked about creating psychological safety and the importance of our wellness for a safe functioning team in the healthcare workforce. Dr. Wright spoke about how strong leadership, improving our education and engagement with other staff can enhance our wellness. She also stated a great reminder to healthcare workers: it's alright to accept imperfections and a mistake can be an opportunity to learn.
Rebecca Friesen, Dan Olynick and Linda Kappel represented Saskatchewan Polytechnic for the third presentation. They talked about some changes in the CLXT program. The CLXT program has increased course credits, which qualifies the course to be an advanced diploma program, and applications have changed from first qualified admission to competitive admission.
The fourth speaker, Carey Serviss, educated us on the usage of the STARS air ambulance and shared some of his experiences from his career. It was interesting to know the history and specifications of the STARS helicopters and the supplies utilized for every mission. Also, Carey talked about the education and the simulation training that the pilots, nurses, paramedics and transport physicians were involved in.
After our annual CLXT Annual General Meeting, Heidi Fisher, a mental health advocate from Saskatoon was our next speaker. Heidi shared about her personal experiences and how she uses her platform to normalize mental illnesses. This was a useful presentation, which improved my understanding about mental health. Our final speaker was Dr. Eben Strydom, a physician from Melfort, who advocates for rural medicine. He addressed some challenges and limitations we face in rural communities and how he wants to improve it. He shared the struggle of the community residents on finding a permanent family doctor in the province. Most of the CLXTs are employed in rural areas and his presentation was a great reminder that our role in healthcare is vital to provide care for the patients.
I am grateful to have had the chance to attend this conference and to expand my knowledge on different aspects of healthcare. It was also so great to see familiar faces! I am looking forward to the next one!