Radiography
Volume 17, Issue 1 , Pages 55-60, February 2011

Improving students’ confidence levels in communicating with patients and introducing students to the importance of history taking

  • Georgia K.B. Halkett

      Affiliations

    • WA Centre for Cancer and Palliative Care/Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia
    • Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. WA Centre for Cancer and Palliative Care, Curtin University of Technology, Health Research Campus, GPO Box U1987, Perth 6845, Western Australia. Tel.: +61 8 9266 1762; fax: +618 9266 1770.
    • ,
  • Janice McKay

      Affiliations

    • Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia
    • ,
  • Therese Shaw

      Affiliations

    • Child Health Promotion Research Centre, School of Exercise, Biomedical & Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia

Received 22 September 2009; received in revised form 8 December 2009; accepted 25 February 2010. published online 15 April 2010.

Abstract 

Background

Radiographers can have a marked impact on the way patients deal with their illness because they are often one of the first health professionals that patients see. Therefore, it is essential that radiographers have effective communication skills and are able to provide patients with the information they require. The purpose of this study was to test whether the introduction of additional education on communication and history taking improved students’ communication skills.

Methods

A short program on communication skills and history taking was introduced to third year undergraduate students prior to a clinical placements period. Three workshops were run; the third included a role play exercise using professional actors as simulated patients. Students completed questionnaires at baseline, following the three workshops and after their subsequent clinical placement. Descriptive statistics were calculated and logistic regression Generalized Estimating Equations models were fitted to test for differences over time in students’ confidence levels.

Results

Twenty-seven out of 36 students completed the baseline and final surveys. Students indicated they were highly satisfied with the workshops provided. Statistically significant differences were observed for seven items relating to student’s confidence levels in communicating with patients after they had participated in the workshops and their subsequent clinical placement.

Conclusion

The use of communication skills workshops involving actor/patients is an effective method of assisting students to develop their communication and history taking skills. This program has now been implemented into the mentioned undergraduate course and it is recommended that radiography students at other institutions be provided with the opportunity to develop their communication and history taking skills.

Keywords: Radiography, Communication skills, History taking, Education

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PII: S1078-8174(10)00031-3

doi:10.1016/j.radi.2010.02.006

Radiography
Volume 17, Issue 1 , Pages 55-60, February 2011

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