Bright Ideas Grant Project Title:

Improving Patient Engagement. Preparing for PET Imaging – Can a short video prevent avoidable delays and repeat bookings?

Biography 

Deborah Soanes, has been nursing since graduating in 2002.  Outside of nursing she is a proud mother of two young boys an avid gardener and gym enthusiast.

Her career has spanned across in the Nuclear Medicine and PET Department at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) since 2006 and she has witnessed significant growth and advancement within the service over the past two decades. During this time, the PET service has expanded from a single scanner imaging approximately six patients per day to a busy and dynamic department operating two scanners and providing care for up to 30 patients daily. Being part of this evolution has given Deborah extensive experience in patient-centred care, service development, and quality improvement within a highly specialised imaging environment.

Throughout her career, Deborah has  actively contributed to initiatives that improve both patient outcomes and departmental efficiency. One key achievement was leading the development of the Thyroid Therapy Nurse role. What began as a small group of specialised nurses providing education, preparation guidance for patients undergoing thyroid therapy.  Now this specialised role has evolved into the broader Nuclear Medicine Nurse role that now compliments the consultants, administrative staff and medical technology and physics department.

Deborah played a significant role in the introduction of Lutetium therapies within the department. Working closely with the multidisciplinary team, assisting in developing policies, procedures, and staff education resources to ensure the safe implementation of this treatment. The success of this work has enabled Lutetium therapy knowledge and skills to become integrated into routine practice, with all nursing staff now trained and competent in supporting these patients.

In 2022, she became the first Staff Development Nurse dedicated solely to the SCGH Nuclear Medicine Department. In this role, the first goal was to develop a unit-specific orientation and competency program that provides structured week-by-week and month-by-month learning goals for new staff. Her focus continues to be on building staff capability, supporting innovation, and enhancing the patient experience through education, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice.

Project Details 

This project aims to better understand why PET scan appointments are cancelled and identify opportunities to improve the patient journey. By collecting and reviewing information about cancelled appointments, we can look for common reasons, identify trends, and explore simple changes that may help reduce avoidable cancellations. The findings will be used to support service improvements and improve access to timely PET imaging for patients.