Walking into a hospital can be an intimidating thing to do. There are numerous reasons to take a trip to the hospital, maybe for a friend who had their tonsils removed or who had a minor car wreck. Perhaps a sister gave birth to her first child or a brother needed an x-ray. Whatever the reason may be some experiences are good and some may be bad. However, at some point in every woman’s life she will have to go into a hospital for a mammogram. Having any kind of image taken of the body can seem daunting if one does not know what to expect, especially this particular image. This is where the mammographer comes in. As a professional, they should communicate clearly and effectively with each patient to relay all pertinent information, answer any…show more content… The main goal as the technologist is to provide adequate information to the patient and remain respectful and professional at all times. For most patients this is an embarrassing exam to have done, therefore, the technologist must remain pleasant and reassuring throughout the exam and abide by a standard of ethics. 1 (33) Most women are self conscious about having to go through a mammogram, it is very personal and they do not like to be this close with someone they do not know. However, the technologist should remain open and friendly at all times in their verbal as well as nonverbal communication and should offer any information pertaining to the exam. By being open and honest with the patient, the mammographer seems more approachable and will establish a good relationship with the patient and gain their trust. Also, the technologist needs to be sure to always speak in a clear voice and use correct grammar so that the patient can understand them and turn to them when speaking so that the patient knows they are important. 1…show more content… According to Barbara Smith, the director of the Breast Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, “For women over 50 mammograms are worth having.” Of course, mammograms are great to have earlier on than 50 as a preventative exam, however the chances of developing breast cancer increase after the age of 50. There is also an increased risk of death if a woman waits to have a mammogram done until a tumor is big enough to feel. Two studies were conducted, one a Swedish study published in the journal Radiology and the other a study from the Netherlands published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention. The Swedish study followed over 133,000 women for over 30 years and the Netherlands’ study followed over 4,000 women. Both studies suggested that having mammograms reduced the risk of death from breast cancer by being diagnosed early on. Technologists specializing in mammography can highly recommend that women continue to have mammograms regularly, and begin if they have not done so. Technologists can also share these statistics and information with patients.3
