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The X-ray request – an effective vehicle of communication?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 May 2006

B. A. Longrigg  and
B. T. Channon
B. A. Longrigg
Affiliation:
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust;
B. T. Channon
Affiliation:
School of Allied Health Professions, University of West of England, Bristol, UK
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Abstract

An X-ray request is an essential vehicle for communicating clinical information from the referring clinician to the radiographer, responsible for undertaking the procedure, who requires sufficient information to justify an exposure. Abbreviations and illegible handwriting can reduce this expected level of communication. Abbreviations were included on 81% of the request forms audited in this study and 9% of request forms were considered to be illegible. Radiographers have a high acceptance level of abbreviations compared to illegible handwriting. This study demonstrated that abbreviations could have more than one meaning to individual radiographers. Thus radiographers could waste valuable clinical time locating the referring clinician to clarify the implied meaning. The incorrect interpretation of the meaning of an abbreviation could lead to an erroneous examination being undertaken with subsequent medico-legal implications.

Keywords

Radiographic requestabbreviationscommunicationillegible handwriting
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , March 2006 , pp. 35 - 42
Copyright
2006 Cambridge University Press

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