Investigating the perceptions and experience of women having a gynaecological transvaginal ultrasound in Malta

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the perceptions and experience of women undergoing a gynaecology transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) examination in Malta. The scope of the study was to explore how certain factors such as the sonographer’s gender, the presence of a chaperone, and the level of pain or discomfort both before and after TVUS. Methodology: The study took a prospective, quasi-experimental research design, taking a quantitative approach. A pretest-posttest design was used. A structured paper questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. The target population were women aged 18 years and older who were referred for a gynaecological TVUS at the gynaecology and obstetrics outpatient department (GODP) of a local general hospital in Malta. Intermediary personnel approached participants, provided an explanation and asked for consent followed by the distribution of the questionnaire. The data collection process took 20 working days. Results: Data analysis included 104 completed questionnaires. A significant decrease in mean pain score was observed between the perceived and the actual pain felt by the participants noting that the initial mean pain score was lower for participants who had previously undergone a positive experience of a TVUS in the last 5 years. The presence of a chaperone did not significantly affect the participant’s experience, and participants felt comfortable regardless of the specific scenario, the absence or presence of a chaperone. The participants were asked in regard to the communication with the sonographer before the examination and reported that approximately 86% discussed the reason for the examination, 54.5% asked the participant for any queries while 60.4% of participants stated that their verbal consent was asked, which fall short of the ideal scenario suggested by the General Medical Council (GMC) (2013) guidelines favouring documentation of consent. Overall, the findings revealed a high acceptance of TVUS whereby the participants unanimously (n=104) agreed to undergo TVUS again if clinically indicated. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, awareness of the importance of patient satisfaction was made, showed minimal impact of chaperone presence and patient preference for female sonographers. In addition, the need for improved communication and emphasis on patient consent when conducting TVUS was suggested.