IDENTIFYING THE FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ATTITUDE OF RADIOGRAPHERS TO THEIR PROFESSIONAL BODY

A professional association is usually a nonprofit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession and the public. The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined. Activities and events organized by these organizations facilitate better interaction amongst members while at the same time providing opportunities for promoting and identifying common professional or industry interests. Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN), the Professional Organisation representing Radiographers and Radiation Therapist in Nigeria, strives to uphold the professional, public and workplace interests of her members by encouraging the seeking and sharing of knowledge.

The Radiographers in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTTH) Parklane, Enugu, National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu (NOHE) and University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku/Ozalla stand tall in the practice of Radiography in Nigeria were understudied as to identify the factors that influence the attitude of radiographers to their professional body.

The findings of this research reveals that all the respondents are Nigerians (100%), Most of the respondents, 97%, have acquired at least B Sc degree in Radiography. Majority of the respondents, 76.1%, has voting right in the association meeting. The respondents 93.9% (31/33) registered with the professional body. 

Handful of the respondents 27.3% attended update courses, workshop or special trainings organized by the association often. The reason for attending was given as to gain more knowledge and skill (71%) and some were mandated to attend (22.6%).

Most of the respondents did not know the law establishing the professional body since only 33.3% actually knows and can quote the decree.

Majority of the respondents, 66%, were of the opinion that the professional body has not done much for the profession. Thus more is needed to be done.

 

 

 

APPENDIX

 

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

Research methodology

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

CHAPTER FIVE

A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) is usually a nonprofit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession and the public . Examples include Association of Pathologists of Nigeria (ASOPON), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), etc.

The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in a learned occupation who are entrusted with maintaining control or oversight of the legitimate practice of the occupation;”1 also a body acting "to safeguard the public interest;"2 organizations which "represent the interest of the professional practitioners," and so "act to maintain their own privileged and powerful position as a controlling body"2. Activities and events organized by these organizations facilitate better interaction amongst members while at the same time providing opportunities for promoting and identifying common professional or industry interests. This, in turn, places the burden of enforcing a Profession ban upon these associations as well. 

Though professional bodies often act to protect the public by maintaining and enforcing standards of training and ethics in their profession, they often also act like a cartel or a labour union (trade union) for the members of the profession, though this description is commonly rejected by some of the body concerned.

Trade unions laws in the UK and Nigeria defines trade union as: “… any combination whether temporary or permanent, the principal objectives of which its constitution are … the regulation of the relation between workmen and workmen or between masters and masters or the imposing of restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade or business and also the provision of benefits to members”3. From the definition, employers associations are also to be regarded as trade unions. Trade unions are the main power resource of working people.

The history of trade union in Nigeria started on the 19th August 1912 with the formation of southern Nigeria civil service union. The name was later changed to Nigerian civil service union after the amalgamation of the southern and northern protectorates of Nigeria. Thus, she serves as the first union characterized by wage employment that existed in Nigeria. The union was concerned with efficiency in the civil service and intensified nationalization of the service. This put her in a disadvantaged position since the she was not concerned with the hard core unionism. As a result other workers unions emanated from her. Later on, the unions were legalised with the enactment of the trade union ordinance in 1938 and its consequent execution on the 1st of Apr