Technologists' Experience Providing Patient Education in a Pediatric Setting

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Radiologic Technology
• Pediatric Radiology

Background:

• Pediatric patients and their caregivers often have concerns regarding ionizing radiation exposure during medical imaging.
• Effective communication about radiation risks and benefits is crucial in pediatric radiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify challenges faced by radiologic technologists in pediatric settings when discussing radiation exposure.
• To explore methods for increasing technologists' confidence in communicating this information.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving 7 pediatric radiologic technologists.
• Semistructured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Technologists' confidence decreased when asked for detailed radiation dose information.
• Common patient/caregiver concerns include shielding, dose, and long-term effects.
• Continuing education and patient pamphlets were suggested to improve confidence.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric radiologic technologists face challenges in explaining radiation dose and risks.
• There's a need for enhanced self-efficacy among technologists in addressing patient/caregiver radiation concerns.