FACT OF THE DAY The “radio manipulation” hold their congress in Nîmes

The congress of the 62nd scientific days of manipulators in radiology will be held in Nîmes on March 24 and 25 and with it more than 500 participants arrive in town (Kinepolis).

In France there are probably just under 30,000. If the Gard represents approximately 1% of France, let’s say that there are nearly 300 in the Gard, which is a department relatively well supplied in terms of health.

For Stéphane Michelutti, president of the Languedoc-Roussillon office ofFrench association of paramedical personnel in electroradiology, “Our profession is poorly known. We are sometimes told ” Hello doctor ! » or “Hello Madam Nurse! » when we are a woman but we are neither one nor the other, we are manipulators of medical electroradiology! To put it simply, radio manipulation or even manipulation… We’re used to it! We seek to promote our profession, which is recruiting strongly.“

Initially organized during the week, this congress now has a Friday-Saturday session. For what ? As in the whole of the health sector the demographics are at half mast, this is the only way to manage to have a few people at the rendezvous.

Stéphane Michelutti works for the AFPPE. Why did he choose Nîmes? “In 2019 we organized a larger congress in Montpellier because we did not have the infrastructure to welcome us to Nîmes. This year, it was important to me to organize it in Nîmes.“

Radiology includes examinations, analyzes and diagnoses that are practiced in both the private and public sectors. The manipulator is the staff who achieve this. He welcomes the patient, prepares and reassures him for the examination, performs it and transmits the results to the radiologist. “X-rays, scanners, MRIs, scintigraphy and PETscan in nuclear medicine, we operate in operating theaters and interventional radiology rooms for all invasive examinations and treatments requiring the use of X-rays, Doppler and ultrasound in some cases, electrophysiology and we carry out treatment sessions of radiotherapy. We use our technical skills to serve the care and the patient».”

To do this job, three years of study are necessary after the baccalaureate, preferably scientific because the physics of radiation is widely discussed. “It’s good to have a scientific basis! There are public training institutes in the region in Montpellier, and private ones such as D’Alzon in Nîmes or Perpignan. We learn the same lessons there.“

Why a congress? “We need to talk to each other and take stock of our professions and our practices! The profession has existed for a hundred years but is constantly evolving. We have to learn new techniques. The job I learned 20 years ago is no longer the same as the one I practice now, hence the congresses, several times a year and sometimes even by specialty.“At the Nîmes congress, all the specialties will be covered.

We talk about this congress and we imagine that it will be “populated” with radio manipulators but what are they going to talk about? “Yes, there will be radio manipulators from all over France and from Belgium and Switzerland. There will be students, health executives… And we will attend general sessions, themed workshops. The manipulator is a technician but he is above all a carer!“

The role of the manipulator and his care for the patient, eco-responsibility (because imaging has a certain carbon impact even if it progresses) will therefore be discussed during the congress, but also professional development, the legal responsibility of the manipulator, radiology interventional or echography because it is practiced more marginally but in strong development… The innovative fields in which the manipulator can intervene will not be forgotten, as will the demography of the profession and the training that goes with its development.

Talk, exchange, evolve

“We will also talk about therapeutic education, clinical research and many other things! All the medical and paramedical professions are at a turning point because of the lack of doctors. We are right in the middle of it, the medical demography is falling although the supply of care and the demand are increasing. Some paramedics could perform medical acts under certain conditions. For example, certain x-rays could be pre-interpreted. After a few years of experience we have a certain expertise and we could orient the patient more quickly. Studies are carried out, saving time and quality for the patient and also offering a prospect for the future and attractiveness for the radiographer.“

Everything would obviously be very supervised and validated by training. To talk about it, the stakeholders are important. The themes are chosen by the organizing team taking current events into account. “We are calling for applications to be offered subjects. We have a scientific college that validates or invalidates and we integrate or not into the program. It’s spontaneous, but you can also ask colleagues who have interesting topics to share.“

On Friday evening, the short film (Through Irène) by a former hospital director, Paul Tandonnet, will be screened. It evokes the life of Irène Curie, daughter of the famous Nobel winners who tried to demonstrate all the interest of radiology on the war fields of the First World War which she surveyed with her heavy equipment. “She is the first manipulator in history and as we are organizing this congress in a cinema it is a double wink and it gives a little fun side to this event!“

To organize such a meeting, we take it two years in advance and to finance it we need partners. They are quite fond of this kind of weekend but you have to know how to get them to come. In reality, it’s a win for everyone because the partners can offer their products and show their know-how. And participants will be able to listen, see and know. There are 22 partners, many manufacturers, manufacturers of medical equipment, private medical imaging groups to recruit technicians, insurers, a fine association (Le C’rayons d’Éric), institutions (CHU de Nîmes, City of Nîmes…).

United to talk

This event is only accessible to manipulative professionals, health executives or students in the sector. So, if you see people in town with badges, be pretty sure they are radio manipulators!

If you want to know more, the AFPPE is the only association that brings together the entire profession. The AFPPE is 72 years old and recently participated in the overhaul of the decree of acts, it has a role of representativeness but also of training. It is also a learned society which conducts scientific monitoring and publishes a monthly scientific journal.

In Nîmes let’s give back to Caesar what belongs to him so let’s solemnly notify the organizers of the event because Stéphane Michelutti is not alone. Florelle Terra, Alexandra Hugues, Elisabeth Duserre, Céiine Durand, Julien Fernandez, Kamal Laaraiche, Nathalie Causse, Parrine Gounelle, Marjorie Larussa, Marjorie Abric, Virginie Beaussier and Maguy Lucot are fully committed to this organization.

Anthony Maurin