Assessment of Assertive Communication Skills Among Clinical Rotation Radiography Students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University

Assertive communication is a core skill especially in multidisciplinary team. Assertive communication among health professionals is an important element of patient safety efforts in health care. We assessed the current levels of assertive communication skills among final year student radiographers of Nnamdi Azikiwe university during clinical rotations. We also to identified the challenges and barriers faced by student radiographers in practicing assertive communication in clinical settings. Data collected were analysed using SPSS version 20. 80 (52.98%) were males. The study revealed that 80 (52.98%) of participants would not intervene in the face of patient compromises. 78 (51.66%) reported that they will not question the radiographer if he does not give the patient a lead apron but rather provide a lead apron. This study showed that instead of students speaking up verbally, they prefer to do it the nonverbal way. most students get confused when they observed what pertains in clinical practice and what has been taught in class and this affects them in clinical examinations. Most of the respondents are not very likely to speak up but instead, they prefer to do it non-verbally. If students are to speak up in the face of patient compromises, they will do so before any harm is done but tension or nervousness and the attitude of the clinician seems to be the factors affecting their assertiveness.