Radiological technologists’ self-assessment of professional competence in Japan. A survey study

Abstract

The competence of radiographers is a prerequisite for guaranteeing high patient safety and quality of care. The purpose of the study was to describe the clinically active Radiological Technologists' professional competence in diagnostic radiological activities in Japan. Method was a questionnaire study with the measuring instrument Radiographers' Competence Scale which consists of two domains: "Nurse-initiated care" and "Technical and radiographic processes". Each competence was estimated based on the level and frequency of use. The study was conducted at three different hospitals with a total of 76 respondents. Analysis was done through the statistics program SPSS. The competence with the highest rated level was ‘Responsibility for preparing the medico-technical equipment’, the lowest rated was ‘Guiding the patient’s relatives’. The highest rated frequency was ‘Producing accurate and correct images’, the lowest was 'Guiding the patient's relatives'. In summary, the study opens up new doors for the exchange of competence at both international and national level.