DEPARTMENT OF RADIOGRAPHY

Healthcare policies are central to the regulation of radiographic practice and play a vital role in shaping the quality of patient care. This study investigated the impact of healthcare policies on radiographers at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), focusing on policy awareness, influence on daily practice, patient care outcomes, and the challenges of policy adherence. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used, and data were collected from viii 31 radiographers through a structured questionnaire. The results showed that 61.3% of respondents were aware of institutional healthcare policies, while 74.2% could identify policy documents relevant to their duties. Full compliance with radiation safety requirements (100%) was observed, demonstrating strong adherence in safety-sensitive areas. Policies were found to substantially influence professional conduct, as 93.5% agreed that policies guide daily radiographic practice, while 87.1% indicated that policies ensure standardization and 90.3% affirmed improved accountability. In terms of patient care, 93.5% agreed that policies enhance service quality and 87.1% believed they promote consistency, although only 42.0% felt that policies reduce imaging time. A Chi-square test further confirmed a statistically significant relationship between healthcare policies and daily radiographic practice (χ² = 61.29, df = 1, p = 0.000), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. Despite these positive outcomes, radiographers reported major challenges such as inadequate resources (87.1%), insufficient training (61.3%), outdated guidelines (58.1%), and inconsistent implementation across departments (58.0%). The study concludes that healthcare policies positively shape radiographic practice and patient care at UBTH, but their effectiveness is limited by systemic and administrative constraints. Strengthening policy communication, updating guidelines, improving resource availability, and expanding training opportunities will enhance policy adherence and further improve patient outcomes in radiography.

A hallmark of a well-managed radiology department is minimizing the time patients spend before accessing radiology services. Timely access to diagnostic imaging plays a critical role in the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. Prolonged wait times can lead to patient dissatisfaction, delay diagnoses, extend hospital stays, and negatively affect clinical outcomes, especially in time-sensitive conditions such as trauma or cancer. This comparative cross-sectional survey aimed to evaluate and compare patient wait times in the radiology departments of two selected hospitals in Benin City: one utilizing a scheduling system (University of Benin Teaching Hospital) and the other operating without a scheduling system (University of Benin Healthcare Centre). A total of 249 participants were recruited using a stratified random sampling technique combined with purposive sampling to ensure adequate representation of patients attending the selected radiology departments. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0. Socio-demographic findings revealed that the majority of respondents (24.5%) were aged 36–45 years, followed by 46–55 years (22.5%), 26–35 years (20.9%), and 18–25 years (15.7%). Of the participants, 58.2% attended the hospital with a scheduling system, while 41.8% attended the hospital without a scheduling system. Additionally, 58.2% of respondents had scheduled appointments, while 41.8% did not. Distribution of imaging procedures among participants included X-ray (29.7%), MRI (26.1%), CT scan (24.1%), and ultrasound (20.1%). Regarding wait times, patients attending the hospital with a scheduling system were typically attended to within 10–20 minutes. In contrast, patients at the hospital without a scheduling system waited more than 45 minutes on average. Overall, 78.3% of respondents considered the waiting time acceptable, whereas 21.7% deemed it unacceptable. Communication about waiting times was rated as excellent or good by 77.2% of respondents, fair by 11.2%, and poor by 11.6%. In terms of overall satisfaction, 72.3% reported being very satisfied or satisfied, while 17.4% were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. Hypothesis testing revealed that comparisons between the two groups yielded p-values < 0.05, indicating statistically significant differences. Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected, and the alternate hypothesis was accepted, confirming a significant difference in patient wait times between radiology departments with and without a scheduling system. These findings underscore the importance of implementing scheduling systems to reduce patient wait times, improve satisfaction, and enhance overall efficiency in radiology departments. Hospitals without scheduling systems are recommended to adopt computerized or manual appointment protocols to better manage patient flow and minimize waiting times

The research evaluated the intending career fulfilment in the radiographers of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH). In healthcare professions, career fulfilment is a key area in the determination of productivity, job satisfaction, and employee retention. The study assumed a descriptive cross-sectional research design and a sample population of 30 radiographers in UBTH. The methods used to gather data were structured self-administered questionnaires that aimed at studying career goals, levels of fulfilment and issues facing radiographers. To analyse the relationship between years of practice and career fulfilment, descriptive statistics and the use of Spearman Rank Correlation were used to answer the analysis. Results showed that despite the fact that most of the radiographers had clear career goals, a considerable amount of radiographers had no idea of their present career fulfilment. Those who felt themselves on track towards their career goals amounted to 33.3%, and those who were unsure about it added to 46.7%. This research revealed that the years of practice and career satisfaction were moderately correlated, albeit negatively, with the years of practice but the correlation was not significant (r = -0.334, p = 0.071). Some of the key obstacles that were noticed were lack of training, proper funding, excessive workload and lack of mentorship. The limitations were discovered to seriously discourage professional development and achievement. The research finds that radiographers are professional and show strong ambitions but institutional and structural constraints do not allow them to have optimal career fulfilment. It suggests systemic mentorship schemes, frequent professional development trainings, and working conditions as a way of improving career fulfilment and retention among radiographers at UBTH.

Radiographers have an important role in emergency medical care.. However, their knowledge , current practices and factors influencing their participation within emergency response teams in Nigerian hospitals remain inadequately evaluated. To assess radiographers’ knowledge of their roles in emergency response, determine their current practices and level of involvement, and examine factors influencing their participation in emergency teams. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for the study. Thirty-one radiographers at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital were included in the study using a census sampling method. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were used, while inferential statistics (Chi-square tests) examined associations between variables, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Most radiographers demonstrated moderate knowledge of their emergency roles 16 (51.6%), while 11 (35.5%) had high knowledge and 4 (12.9%) had low knowledge. Practice level was fair in 17 ( 54.8%), good in 10 (32.3%) and poor in (12.9). Participation level among respondents was high 11 (35.5%), moderate 19 (61.3%), and low 1 (3.2%). There was a significant relationship between practice and participation (p< 0.001). Radiographers possess good awareness of their responsibilities in emergency care, particularly in performing urgent imaging and patient positioning. Practical competence significantly improved active involvement in the emergency team. There is need for continous training exercises to improve radiographers roles in emergency care. Keywords: Emergency, radiographers, knowledge, practice, participation.

This study investigated subspecialty preferences among radiography students at the University of Benin, Nigeria, and identified factors influencing these preferences. Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, 272 students across all academic levels (100-500) were surveyed using structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 28.0, employing descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Results revealed that diagnostic imaging (32.7%) and ultrasound (24.3%) were the most preferred subspecialties, while nuclear medicine (5.9%) and radiation therapy (8.1%) were least preferred. Personal interest (78.3%), career prospects (71.7%), and clinical exposure (64.3%) were identified as primary influencing factors. Awareness levels varied significantly across academic levels (p<0.001), with senior students demonstrating greater familiarity with subspecialties. Gender significantly influenced preference distribution (p=0.023), with females favoring ultrasound and males preferring interventional radiology. Financial considerations (mean=4.21±0.87) and job market demand (mean=4.15±0.91) were rated as highly influential factors. The study concluded that enhanced clinical exposure, mentorship programs, and curriculum diversification are essential for informed career decision-making. Recommendations include establishing subspecialty rotation programs, strengthening industry partnerships, and developing career guidance frameworks to align student preferences with healthcare workforce needs

Background: Radiological crises happen quite suddenly, which means that radiographers are likely to be the first medical workers present in the area, and therefore the resuscitation must be made as a priority. The research evaluated knowledge, attitudes, and practices of radiographers on patient resuscitation in case of radiological emergencies in Benin Metropolis. Method: The type used was a descriptive cross-sectional design that involved the use of a structured questionnaire that was administered to 61 registered radiographers in selected health facilities. The tool examined the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the respondents in regard to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other emergency procedures. Descriptive statistics and the correlation of knowledge and practice were used to analyze the data by using Spearman’s Correlation test. Results: It was found that there was moderate awareness of resuscitation measures, and many of the respondents had no knowledge of AED usage and age-specific
methods of CPR. The willingness to train and take part in emergency drills has been shown as the attitudes towards resuscitation were very positive. But there were few practices that were being reported especially in CPR and simulation activities. Knowledge and practice were found to have a significant positive relationship (spearman’s rho = 0.569, p = 0.000). Conclusion: In Benin Metropolis, radiographers demonstrate a high level of motivation and low readiness to resuscitation in the case of radiological emergencies. To improve competence and emergency preparedness it is suggested to provide continuous CPR training, improve role definition, and conduct simulation exercises
frequently

Patient perception of radiography students’ participation during radiographic examinations plays a vital role in shaping the quality of clinical training and overall radiography education. This study assessed patients’ perception of radiography students’ involvement during radiographic procedures in selected health facilities in Benin City, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to 174 patients, of which 170 were valid for analysis, yielding a 97.7% response rate. Stratified random sampling ensured representativeness, and data were x analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, means) and chi-square tests were used to examine associations between socio-demographic factors and patient perceptions. Findings revealed that 54% of patients expressed a negative perception of radiography students’ participation, while 46% had positive views. The overall mean score of 2.4 (below the 2.5 cut-off) indicated a generally unfavorable perception. However, consistent with some previous studies, patients acknowledged the importance of student involvement for professional training and accepted their presence when adequate supervision was provided. Concerns were noted regarding students’ competence, communication, and maintenance of privacy, aligning with earlier research highlighting the need for reassurance and professionalism in student-patient
interactions. The study concludes that although patients demonstrated a cautious and moderately negative perception of radiography students’ participation, effective supervision and improved communication could enhance patient comfort and acceptance. It is recommended that radiography departments strengthen supervision, ensure informed patient consent, and emphasize empathy, respect, and professionalism in clinical training to promote positive patient experiences and support student learning.

The study tested the level of knowledge and awareness of psychological impact of radiation exposure in the patients undergoing the diagnostic imaging at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH). The convenient sampling was carried out using a descriptive cross-sectional survey design where 127 adult patients who had X-ray and CT scan procedures were sampled. The structured questionnaire was used to gather data, and it was analyzed with SPSS version 25.0. The findings revealed that respondents were ill-informed on the psychological impacts of radiation exposure with 58.3 percent being poor awareness and 62.2 percent being low awareness. Most patients (71.7) said that they became anxious or feared at the time they were told about radiation-based imaging, and 68.5% voiced their concern about long-term psychological impacts. The degree of knowledge of radiation exposure and the response of the patient to it were significantly related (kh2 = 18.42, p = 0.001). The most important results in the scope of the research were that 76.4 percent of patients were never informed of psychological impacts by medical professionals, and 83.5 percent would like to be informed prior to their surgeries. The level of education and past imaging experience also had significant impact on the level of knowledge (p < 0.05). The research finds out that there are gaps in knowledge and awareness which are some of the contributory factors of psychological suffering among the patients at UBTH. Radiographers are advised to involve the use of patient-centered communication techniques to enhance the overall patient experience during radiation-based diagnostic imaging, create educational resources in the area of psychological effects, and acquire training in empathetic counseling. Keywords: Radiation exposure, psychological effects, patient knowledge, patient awareness, diagnostic imaging, UBTH.

Ionizing radiation is widely used in medical imaging but requires strict adherence to safety standards. This study assessed the awareness of radiation dose limits and regulatory guidelines among 234 radiography clinical-year students at the University of Benin. Only 36.4% correctly identified the recommended public dose limit of 1 mSv, while 44% admitted not knowing it. Mean knowledge score was moderate (66.8%), though Confidence towards radiation protection was high (87.1%). Students who attended radiation protection courses scored significantly higher (76.1%) than non-attendees (48.1%). These findings highlight a gap between positive safety Confidences and technical knowledge, emphasizing the need for strengthened curriculum and structured trainings.

Hysterosalpingography (HSG) plays an important role in the diagnostics and evaluation of infertility. Patients, however, face significant levels of anxiety and fear concerning the procedure which may be attributed to discomfort. This Study evaluated the levels of anxiety, understanding of HSG, clinician-patient communication, and the effect of music therapy as a distraction on
anxiety in women undergoing HSG in Benin City Nigeria. The study design was a prospective cross-sectional design within the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and Raytouch Diagnostic Center. A total of 113 women undergoing HSG procedure were administered a structured questionnaire that included a demographics questionnaire, HSG knowledge test, and hysterosalpingography related anxiety levels, communication and interaction with health care providers, along with music experiences integration. The data were analysed using a descriptive statistics and chisquare test. The mean age was 34.6 years, with 72.6% married and 85.8% having tertiary education. While 85.0% received preprocedural information and 80.5% understood HSG's objectives, moderate to high anxiety levels were reported by 68.2% of participants regarding tension and 73.5% regarding pain concerns. Patient-provider communication was rated positively by 84.1%, and 70.8% felt it reduced their fears. All participants (100%) received music intervention, with 85.8% reporting increased relaxation and 77.9% experiencing reduced anxiety. Pain was the primary concern (38.1%), and 82.3% would recommend music to others. Although there was sufficient knowledge with women undergoing HSG, there is significant anxiety. Music intervention is an effective way to reduce anxiety and increase patient comfort supporting its integration into standard HSG protocols.