Professional Analysis of Radiographer Role Extension in Reporting Plain Radiographs at Secondary Hospitals in Ogun State

Radiographer reporting of plain radiographs is an established extended scope practice in many countries and offers a potential solution to the critical shortage of radiologists available for plain radiograph interpretation at secondary hospitals in Nigerian states. In Ogun State, South West Nigeria, the workforce and service delivery conditions that would support formal radiographer reporting role extension require professional analysis. This study professionally analyses the feasibility, workforce requirements, and service delivery implications of extending radiographer roles to include plain radiograph reporting at secondary hospitals in Ogun State. A mixed-methods professional analysis is conducted, surveying 85 radiographers and 30 radiologists across secondary hospitals in Abeokuta, Sagamu, and Ilaro on readiness, training needs, and attitudinal perspectives on role extension. A workflow analysis of plain radiograph reporting backlogs and current turnaround times supplements the survey data. Interviews with hospital medical directors and state health ministry officials provide policy context. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and thematic analysis of qualitative data are conducted in SPSS and NVivo. Available radiographer reporting literature from South West Nigeria identifies turnaround times for plain radiograph reports exceeding 48 hours at many secondary hospitals as the primary service quality driver for considering role extension. The UK Radiography Reporting Competency Framework and the African Journal of Medical Sciences radiographer reporting evidence base provide the professional reference. Findings are expected to reveal strong radiographer willingness and significant workforce training investment requirements. Recommendations address a phased radiographer reporting training and credentialing programme for Ogun State secondary hospitals. Keywords: radiographer reporting, role extension, secondary hospitals, Ogun State, South West Nigeria.