Abstract
ABSTRACT
Introduction
Effective communication in healthcare improves patient outcomes, especially the hearing‐impaired. Ghanaian radiography students undertake clinical placements, rotating through units with different radiological modalities, and interacting with different patient groups, including patients with hearing disabilities. However, no study investigated their proficiency and experiences communicating with hearing‐impaired patients. This study aimed to investigate Ghanaian radiography students' proficiency, experiences, confidence, and knowledge concerning communication with hearing‐impaired patients.
Methods
A quantitative approach with a descriptive cross‐sectional study design was employed. Convenience sampling was used to recruit undergraduate diagnostic radiography students from one Ghanaian public university. An online validated survey was used. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).
Results
The study involved 152 participants [males = 93 (61.2%), females = 59 (38.8%)], aged 17–32 years (mean = 21 ± 2.3 years). Most participants could not communicate using sign language (
n
= 147, 96.7%). The majority of the participants had not interacted with hearing‐impaired patients during clinical placement (
n
= 103, 67.8%). Students reported both positive and negative experiences. There was a statistically significant association between year of study and students' interaction with hearing‐impaired patients (
p
= 0.017). Seventy‐six participants (50%) demonstrated low confidence in communicating effectively with hearing‐impaired patients. There was a statistically significant association between biological sex and students' confidence in communicating with hearing‐impaired patients (
p
= 0.043), with the male students expressing a higher confidence level.
Conclusion
The majority of participants could not communicate using sign language, had no prior experience working with hearing‐impaired patients, and had low levels of confidence interacting with hearing‐impaired patients. Participants demonstrated some knowledge regarding care practices for hearing‐impaired patients. The study highlights a curriculum gap in preparing undergraduate diagnostic radiography students to provide effective care for hearing‐impaired patients.