CET Communication & Client Relations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient refuses to lie still during an echocardiogram because of back pain. What is the best initial response?
- Proceed quickly and accept suboptimal images
- Acknowledge the discomfort and ask if repositioning or a pillow would help (Correct answer)
- Document non-compliance and end the exam
- Ask a nurse to restrain the patient
Correct answer: Acknowledge the discomfort and ask if repositioning or a pillow would help
Acknowledging discomfort and offering comfort measures demonstrates patient-centered communication and often resolves cooperation issues.
Question 2: Which communication style is most appropriate when explaining echocardiogram results to a patient who has limited health literacy?
- Use full medical terminology for accuracy
- Speak quickly to avoid overwhelming the patient
- Use simple language, analogies, and confirm understanding with teach-back (Correct answer)
- Refer all questions to the cardiologist without explanation
Correct answer: Use simple language, analogies, and confirm understanding with teach-back
Plain language and teach-back methods help ensure patients with limited health literacy truly understand the information.
Question 3: A sonographer notices a patient is crying quietly before the exam. The most therapeutic response is to:
- Ignore it and start the exam to save time
- Say 'Don't worry, everything will be fine'
- Pause, acknowledge the emotion, and ask if the patient would like to talk briefly (Correct answer)
- Immediately call the physician to handle it
Correct answer: Pause, acknowledge the emotion, and ask if the patient would like to talk briefly
Acknowledging a patient's emotional state with an open-ended offer to talk demonstrates empathy and builds trust.
Question 4: When documenting a patient's refusal to continue an echocardiogram, what information is most critical to include?
- Only the time the exam ended
- The patient's stated reason, that informed refusal was discussed, and the provider notified (Correct answer)
- A note that the patient was uncooperative
- The sonographer's personal opinion about the refusal
Correct answer: The patient's stated reason, that informed refusal was discussed, and the provider notified
Accurate documentation of refusal must include the reason, confirmation that risks were communicated, and notification of the ordering provider.
Question 5: A patient asks whether their echo results indicate heart disease. The sonographer should:
- Share the preliminary interpretation to ease anxiety
- Explain that results are reviewed and communicated by the interpreting physician (Correct answer)
- Tell the patient the images look normal to be reassuring
- Refuse to answer and leave the room
Correct answer: Explain that results are reviewed and communicated by the interpreting physician
Interpretation of echocardiographic findings is within the physician's scope, and sonographers should direct result questions to the ordering or interpreting provider.
Question 6: Which action best demonstrates cultural competence when caring for a patient from a culture where modesty is a high priority?
- Proceed with standard draping and explain it is policy
- Offer same-gender sonographer if possible and use maximal draping during the exam (Correct answer)
- Skip the explanation to avoid embarrassing the patient
- Document cultural background in the chart without adjusting care
Correct answer: Offer same-gender sonographer if possible and use maximal draping during the exam
Offering a same-gender provider and maximizing privacy respects cultural values and supports patient cooperation.
Question 7: During a pediatric echo, the child becomes frightened and will not cooperate. The best strategy is to:
- Ask the parent to wait outside to reduce distractions
- Involve the parent, use child-friendly language, and allow the child to see or touch the transducer (Correct answer)
- Reschedule without attempting any interventions
- Raise your voice to establish authority
Correct answer: Involve the parent, use child-friendly language, and allow the child to see or touch the transducer
Parental presence and age-appropriate familiarization with equipment reduces fear and improves cooperation in pediatric patients.
CET Communication & Client Relations 2
A patient refuses to lie still during an echocardiogram because of back pain.
What is the best initial response?