Can you give us some background on your radiography experience?
I work as an assistant professor at the University of Bradford, where I teach across all three years on the undergraduate diagnostic radiography programme, as well as teaching the postgraduate students undertaking modules in relation to enhanced and advanced practice. Ironically, Bradford was where I began my radiography career journey as I was an undergraduate at the university myself, so I am a bit like a boomerang!
I qualified in 2008 and took up my first post at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, a large trauma centre where I gained a lot of experience within general radiography and nuclear medicine. After 18 months I then found myself moving to Aberdeen and took up a post within interventional radiology (IR), cardiac cath labs and MRI. And that was where I developed my interests within IR and vascular access. This then led to me developing my advanced practice within vascular access, specifically PICC lines, and undertaking my post graduate certificate at Salford.
I developed a love of teaching from my advanced practice when running CPD sessions and from teaching students on clinical placement, before an opportunity came up for a lecturer post for 15-month fixed term at Bradford.
I am originally from Norfolk and life had taken some changes, so I wanted to return to England to be closer to my family after having five and half years in Scotland, so I went for the job and I got it. A job where I get paid to talk excessively was certainly the perfect choice for me, as I am a bit of a chatterbox. And now eight years later I am still here, having progressed from lecturer to assistant professor and undertaken my postgraduate certificate in higher education, as well as completing my Master’s degree in medical imaging in 2021.
I now enjoy teaching across various stages and subjects as I mentioned earlier, and I get to undertake research in my areas of interest, which are vascular access, advanced practice and career decision making.
Can you give us some background on your radiography experience?
I work as an assistant professor at the University of Bradford, where I teach across all three years on the undergraduate diagnostic radiography programme, as well as teaching the postgraduate students undertaking modules in relation to enhanced and advanced practice. Ironically, Bradford was where I began my radiography career journey as I was an undergraduate at the university myself, so I am a bit like a boomerang!
I qualified in 2008 and took up my first post at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, a large trauma centre where I gained a lot of experience within general radiography and nuclear medicine. After 18 months I then found myself moving to Aberdeen and took up a post within interventional radiology (IR), cardiac cath labs and MRI. And that was where I developed my interests within IR and vascular access. This then led to me developing my advanced practice within vascular access, specifically PICC lines, and undertaking my post graduate certificate at Salford.
I developed a love of teaching from my advanced practice when running CPD sessions and from teaching students on clinical placement, and an opportunity came up for a lecturer post for 15-month fixed term at Bradford.
I am originally from Norfolk, and life had taken some changes and I wanted to return to England to be closer to my family after having five and half years in Scotland, so I went for the job and I got it. A job where I get paid to talk excessively was certainly the perfect choice for me, as I am a bit of a chatterbox. And now eight years later I am still here, having progressed from lecturer to assistant professor and undertaken my post graduate certificate in higher education, as well as completing my Master’s degree in medical imaging in 2021.
I now enjoy teaching across various stages and subjects as I mentioned earlier, and I get to undertake research in my areas of interest, which are vascular access, advanced practice and career decision making.
What made you want to become a radiographer?
My mum was my inspiration for healthcare as a career. She was a nurse and I was always excited to hear about her day when she came home from work. I was also an avid lover of Jimmy’s on TV and Casualty.
I loved human biology, and I knew I wanted to work in the healthcare setting. But it was when I discovered the diverse range of areas of the hospital that a radiographer works in that I became more interested – especially when I discovered their role in theatre. I arranged work experience and I absolutely loved it, and everything else then just clicked into place.
What, for you, are the best parts of being a radiographer professional?
This is an easy one: for me the best part is working with a variety of people. The multidisciplinary teams (MDT), the variety of patients when working clinically, in particular with IR and the cardiac cath labs, and students and the academic team within my academic role. And knowing that no day is the same.
What advice would you give to any students starting out on their radiography journey?
My biggest piece of advice is to follow your own interests and passions. Create your own pathway. If you see opportunities, then embrace them and learn from them. Do not be afraid of challenges and rejections as you will learn from them – you never know what opportunities may come from those challenges. So, take the risk.
I did exactly that. I had no idea what the world of academia would be like; I was worried about missing patients and the team within IR and cardiology. However, I knew I had a love of education and so thought it would be worth a try. After it all, it was only a 15-month contract. I soon found that my academic colleagues were exactly like the team in IR and cardiology – they are always there for you. I am lucky to have been mentored and I am still learning from some of the best in business. The students also become like the patients. My caring nature is still used in all aspects of my job and now I am honoured to inspire and mentor them just as I have been within my career, so the risk paid off and I am still utilising all the skills that I had from clinical practice.
So create your own pathway, and remember that it doesn’t have to be a straight route – there can be side steps and twists and turns, but creating a career journey based on your interests will mean you will never be bored.
And lastly: never let anyone borrow your pen in clinical placement… you’ll not see it again!
What made you want to become a radiographer?
My mum was my inspiration for healthcare as a career. She was a nurse and I was always excited to hear about her day when she came home from work. I was also an avid lover of Jimmy’s on TV and Casualty.
I loved human biology, and I knew I wanted to work in the healthcare setting. But it was when I discovered the diverse range of areas of the hospital that a radiographer works in that I became more interested – especially when I discovered their role in theatre. I arranged work experience and I absolutely loved it, and everything else then just clicked into place.
What, for you, are the best parts of being a radiographer professional?
This is an easy one: for me the best part is working with a variety of people. The multidisciplinary teams (MDT), the variety of patients when working clinically, in particular with IR and the cardiac cath labs, and students and the academic team within my academic role. And knowing that no day is the same.
What advice would you give to any students starting out on their radiography journey?
My biggest piece of advice is to follow your own interests and passions. Create your own pathway. If you see opportunities, then embrace them and learn from them. Do not be afraid of challenges and rejections as you will learn from them – you never know what opportunities may come from those challenges. So, take the risk.
I did exactly that. I had no idea what the world of academia would be like; I was worried about missing patients and the team within IR and cardiology. However, I knew I had a love of education and so thought it would be worth a try. After it all, it was only a 15-month contract. I soon found that my academic colleagues were exactly like the team in IR and cardiology – they are always there for you. I am lucky to have been mentored and I am still learning from some of the best in business. The students also become like the patients. My caring nature is still used in all aspects of my job and now I am honoured to inspire and mentor them just as I have been within my career, so the risk paid off and I am still utilising all the skills that I had from clinical practice.
So create your own pathway, and remember that it doesn’t have to be a straight route – there can be side steps and twists and turns, but creating a career journey based on your interests will mean you will never be bored.
And lastly: never let anyone borrow your pen in clinical placement… you’ll not see it again!
Can you tell us about interventional radiology and why it's a good career path to follow?
IR is at the forefront of modern medicine with a constant increase in demand. IR allows us to access internal structures of the body through very small incisions and is guided using medical imaging. It is an area of medicine that has revolutionised patient care in a wide range of diseases. Patients have been able to have their condition treated using minimally invasive techniques rather than open surgery. It has meant that patient groups that in the past may have been unable to have been treated now can be.
I love IR because it is one area of radiology where you see the whole pathway of the patient from diagnosis to treatment, as we as the radiographer are involved in the whole process – rather than just a snapshot of time which is the case for other areas of radiology. The examinations are longer in IR with patients often extremely anxious, and we must be empathetic, compassionate and caring.
It's an area of radiology where you really are saving lives with procedures that prevent premature dying, as well as undertaking procedures that can enhance the quality of a patient's life or help a patient to recover from trauma.
IR is a great career path where your caring skills really are put to the test, as well as getting to work within an MDT. There are opportunities for enhanced and advanced practice roles, which may include advanced image techniques, as well as the potential to undertake clinical procedures such as vascular access, nephrostomy exchanges and gastrostomy insertions. There’s also the opportunity to develop your image interpretation skills.
I love IR and would recommend it as a career pathway for anyone.
Could you tell us about the SIRNR and your role within that?
So, the SIRNR (the Society of Interventional Radiology Nurses and Radiographers) has been rebranded and called the British Society of Interventional Radiology Nurses and Radiographers Specialist Interest Committee.
We are a vibrant and engaging community of nurses and radiographers who have a specialist interest in IR and I am proud to be the chair of this group. I am also lucky enough to say that many members of the committee have also become friends.
The aims of the BSIR nurses and radiographers group are to share good practice and promote IR as a career for nurses and radiographers, as well as to network and provide opportunities among the IR community to discuss issues impacting the profession such as recruitment, career development and workforce planning. It also provides CPD opportunities for members and educational grants. We work very closely with the BSIR to deliver their strategy of advancing IR to improve outcomes for patients.
I am very passionate about IR education and as a committee we have been working very hard to develop education opportunities for the IR community of nurses and radiographers. One of our biggest achievements this year was helping the very first BSIR nurses and radiographers inaugural spring CPD event in partnership with Terumo in Leeds. This event was a great success, and we are beginning to plan next year's – so watch this space.
As a committee we now also have more input into the BSIR Annual Scientific Meeting programme and, for those of you interested in attending, we have a packed agenda this year with events across the three days of the conference comprising an escape room, panel discussions, lectures and a ‘slow dating’ event.
We have grown in members over the last year, and we hope to see that continue over the coming year. We are now a strong committee with a close working relationship with the BSIR executive team, and are very much looking forward to seeing the developments of our committee and members in the coming year.
Could you tell us about the SIRNR and your role within that?
So, the SIRNR (the Society of Interventional Radiology Nurses and Radiographers) has been rebranded and called the British Society of Interventional Radiology Nurses and Radiographers Specialist Interest Committee.
We are a vibrant and engaging community of nurses and radiographers who have a specialist interest in IR and I am proud to be the chair of this group. I am also lucky enough to say that many members of the committee have also become friends.
The aims of the BSIR nurses and radiographers group are to share good practice and promote IR as a career for nurses and radiographers, as well as to network and provide opportunities among the IR community to discuss issues impacting the profession such as recruitment, career development and workforce planning. It also provides CPD opportunities for members and educational grants. We work very closely with the BSIR to deliver their strategy of advancing IR to improve outcomes for patients.
I am very passionate about IR education and as a committee we have been working very hard to develop education opportunities for the IR community of nurses and radiographers. One of our biggest achievements this year was helping the very first BSIR nurses and radiographers inaugural spring CPD event in partnership with Terumo in Leeds. This event was a great success, and we are beginning to plan next year's – so watch this space.
As a committee we now also have more input into the BSIR Annual Scientific Meeting programme and, for those of you interested in attending, we have a packed agenda this year with events across the three days of the conference comprising an escape room, panel discussions, lectures and a ‘slow dating’ event.
We have grown in members over the last year, and we hope to see that continue over the coming year. We are now a strong committee with a close working relationship with the BSIR executive team, and are very much looking forward to seeing the developments of our committee and members in the coming year.
What developments would you like to see over the next five years in radiography and public health?
This is a tricky one. In terms of radiography and radiography education I would like to see more interventional radiology across the curriculum at undergraduate level, as well as having more postgraduate opportunities within this area of radiology. Radiography prescribing would also be great to see – something that is much needed, particularly within enhanced and advanced practice roles.
With regards to public health, radiographers are well placed to have conversations with patient groups regarding their health choices. So, I think developing this would be a great area of development, particularly those radiographers undertaking an enhanced/advanced practice role whereby they have the opportunity for those difficult conversations.
Do you have any hobbies or interests that help you wind down outside work?
I have a six-year-old daughter who keeps me busy at home being the mum taxi for her multiple dance lessons so I don’t always have much spare time, but when I do have time I like to read. As a family we enjoy going to the horse racing (you can blame the husband for that), spending time outside and going on holidays. I have always loved to travel.
What developments would you like to see over the next five years in radiography and public health?
This is a tricky one. In terms of radiography and radiography education I would like to see more interventional radiology across the curriculum at undergraduate level, as well as having more postgraduate opportunities within this area of radiology. Radiography prescribing would also be great to see – something that is much needed, particularly within enhanced and advanced practice roles.
With regards to public health, radiographers are well placed to have conversations with patient groups regarding their health choices. So, I think developing this would be a great area of development, particularly those radiographers undertaking an enhanced/advanced practice role whereby they have the opportunity for those difficult conversations.
Do you have any hobbies or interests that help you wind down outside work?
I have a six-year-old daughter who keeps me busy at home being the mum taxi for her multiple dance lessons so I don’t always have much spare time, but when I do have time I like to read. As a family we enjoy going to the horse racing (you can blame the husband for that), spending time outside and going on holidays. I have always loved to travel.
More about Kayleigh Hizzett
Kay Hizzett is an assistant professor at the University of Bradford. Prior to commencing employment at the university in 2015 she worked at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary within interventional radiology, cardiology and MRI and became an advanced practitioner within vascular access. Preceding to this Kay worked at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
She successfully completed her Masters in Medical Imaging in 2021 with her dissertation focussing on career decision making of undergraduate radiographers.
Kay has a strong passion for interventional radiology education, an area that is often forgotten both at undergraduate and postgraduate level of both radiographers and nurses.
Her research interests include career decision making, advanced practice and vascular access.
At home Kay lives with her husband, daughter and cat. She has a love for shoes and leopard print.
She is thrilled to have become the chair of the BSIR Nurses and Radiographers committee Specialist Interest Committee and looks forward to the future developments of the committee.
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