Knowledge and Skills on Patient Communication among Radiologic Technology Interns in a Private College in Iloilo City, Philippines

Abstract

Aims: The general objective of this study was to determine the level of knowledge and skills regarding patient communication among radiologic technology interns and to assess the relationship between these two variables. Specifically, it sought to evaluate whether interns’ theoretical understanding of communication concepts aligns with their practical application in clinical settings. Study Design: A descriptive-correlational research design was employed to profile the current status of the variables and establish the degree of association between them. Place and Duration of Study: The research was conducted at Iloilo Doctors’ College, a private college in Iloilo City, Philippines, between January and February 2026 Methodology: The study utilized probability simple random sampling to select 109 interns from a total population of 149 fourth-year radiologic technology students. Data were collected via a structured online survey through Google Forms, consisting of a 15-item researcher-made questionnaire to measure knowledge and an 18-item Health Professionals Communication Skills Scale (HP-CSS) to measure practical skills. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential analysis (Spearman’s rho) were used to analyze the data, with the level of significance set at 0.05. Results: Findings indicated that interns possessed a high level of knowledge (M = 14.51) and a high level of communication skills (M = 5.03 on a 6-point scale). Interns were most proficient in ethical aspects, such as “respect for patient rights” (M = 5.66), but showed lower proficiency in using “silence as a therapeutic tool” (M = 3.57). Inferential analysis revealed a statistically significant but weak positive relationship between knowledge and skills (rs = 0.203, p = 0.034), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. Conclusion: The study concludes that while radiologic technology interns demonstrate strong theoretical knowledge and communication skills, a significant gap still exists in certain complex therapeutic techniques. It is recommended that academic and clinical training programs provide enhanced experiential learning and supervised practice to further strengthen patient-centered communication and clinical competence.