Improving students' confidence levels in communicating with patients and introducing students to the importnace of history taking

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 i...

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Main Authors: Halkett, Georgia, McKay, Janice, Shaw, T.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/34959
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author Halkett, Georgia
McKay, Janice
Shaw, T.
author_facet Halkett, Georgia
McKay, Janice
Shaw, T.
author_sort Halkett, Georgia
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description 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.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-349592017-09-13T16:08:11Z Improving students' confidence levels in communicating with patients and introducing students to the importnace of history taking Halkett, Georgia McKay, Janice Shaw, T. Education Communication skills History taking Radiography 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. 2010 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/34959 10.1016/j.radi.2010.02.006 Elsevier restricted
spellingShingle Education
Communication skills
History taking
Radiography
Halkett, Georgia
McKay, Janice
Shaw, T.
Improving students' confidence levels in communicating with patients and introducing students to the importnace of history taking
title Improving students' confidence levels in communicating with patients and introducing students to the importnace of history taking
title_full Improving students' confidence levels in communicating with patients and introducing students to the importnace of history taking
title_fullStr Improving students' confidence levels in communicating with patients and introducing students to the importnace of history taking
title_full_unstemmed Improving students' confidence levels in communicating with patients and introducing students to the importnace of history taking
title_short Improving students' confidence levels in communicating with patients and introducing students to the importnace of history taking
title_sort improving students' confidence levels in communicating with patients and introducing students to the importnace of history taking
topic Education
Communication skills
History taking
Radiography
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/34959