The Medical Radiation Technologist (MRT) is a crucial part of the hospital system, due to the wide variety of patients that are treated there. To do their challenging job effectively, there are numerous rights, regulations, responsibilities, as well as communication strategies that they need to follow. The MRT has legal and clinical responsibilities that they must abide by. Some legal responsibilities are radiation safety, as outlined in the 1982 Radiation Protection Regulations and ALARA, patient consent, as outlined in the 1996 Health and Disability Commissioner Code of Patient Rights, patient confidentiality, as outlined in the 1993 Privacy act and 1996 HDC Code of Patient Rights, and pregnancy checking, as outlined in CSP5. A clinical responsibility…show more content… Non-verbal makes up about 93% of overall communication, 55% being body language and 38% tonality. (Mehrabian, A., 1972). Posture (e.g. slouching), closeness (e.g. invading one’s personal space), appearance (e.g. tidiness), head and eye movements, gestures, facial expressions, and body 'openness' are some non-verbal cues that can affect the way patients receive instructions, and how comfortable they feel. (Ehrlich & Daly, 2009). It is important for the MRT to use these nuances well, but also to read the patients non-verbal language, and be sensitive to how they are feeling. There are a few ways to be more liked in general life, but these strategies can also be used in a professional setting. Body position and 'openness' is a factor in how patients perceive the MRT. For example, having a stance angled slightly away, instead of square on to the patient, can project a more friendly and accommodating message, which also gives a more 'open' body language. Subtle head position can also change how a patient sees the MRT. Having a chin up gives off a sense of arrogance, while having it tilted down gives off a more approachable and friendly vibe. Slightly tilting to the side shows friendliness, and that you are listening to them. (Dr. Nerdlove, 2014). These are just some of the ways to make patients feel more content, thus making them more co-operative. Projecting a confident and…show more content… Patients have a right to be treated the same, regardless of race, gender, sex, appearance, or any other sort of factor. They also have a right to be free from coercion and harassment, of any type. Coercion is also important to be aware of, in that the patient should not be coerced into consenting to anything, or coerced into something that will not benefit them. Exploitation is something that MRTs can fall into doing, with their position of power over the patient, so it is important to stay professional and not do any of the aforementioned mistreatings. (Health and Disability Commissioner,
