Patient-centred care and technical challenges during polytrauma imaging - Experiences from radiography students

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Radiography Education
• Patient-Centred Care

Background:

• Patient-centred care (PCC) is crucial for polytrauma radiography, requiring empathy and clear communication.
• Polytrauma patients necessitate tailored imaging approaches across multiple modalities.
• Effective patient management during imaging is a key radiography training competency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore third- and fourth-year radiography students' experiences applying PCC.
• To understand student application of PCC in polytrauma patient imaging.
• To identify challenges and growth areas in radiography training for polytrauma care.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interpretive phenomenological design.
• Purposive sampling of radiography students at the University of Namibia.
• Semi-structured interviews analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis.

Main Results:

• Three themes emerged: Compassionate Patient Care, Professional Challenges, and Professional Transformation.
• Students demonstrated commitment to balancing technical skills with empathy amidst personal fears.
• Key challenges included emotional trauma, technical difficulties, and communication barriers, overcome through collaboration and reflection.

Conclusions:

• Radiography students navigate compassionate care, professional hurdles, and collaborative growth in polytrauma imaging.
• Curricula must integrate emotional resilience, PCC, and adaptive problem-solving for clinical preparedness.
• Student experiences highlight the human and transformative aspects of polytrauma radiography.