| Differences in associative responses to words pertaining to x-ray examinations were examined by questionnaire among radiologists, technologists, nurses, and various students. The questionnaire was distributed to 139 medical students, 99 technology students, 124 nursing students(35 third-year nursing students had received clinical training prior to receiving education about radiation), 29 radiologists, 58 technologists, 174 nurses, and 292 literature students. As responses to the stimulus word "radiation", students who had been educated about radiation provided technical associations such as "exposure", "treatment", and "x-ray". Third-year nursing students provided more emotional words such as "danger" and "fear". The literature students gave general associations such as "x-rays", "atom bomb", and "nuclear power generation." Except for the third-year nursing students, the points of "acceptance" regarding x-ray examination were positively correlated with those of "knowledge" and "usefulness". The points of "danger" for nursing and medical students were positively correlated with those of "knowledge" and "usefulness", but the technology students showed a negative correlation. In general, the responses associated with the stimulus word "radiation" reflected the effects of education. Education only in methods of exposure reduction, without basic education as to the uses of radiation, reduced the points of "acceptance" and increased the points of "danger". We suggest that the ability to handle patient's queries about radiation should be included in the curriculum for nursing students and nurses. |
