Wyandotte Clinic: Sonographer

Reports to: Executive Director

Status: Part-time, non-exempt

 

Education & Certifications:

Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer

Or

Licensed Medical Professional with Training/Certificate in Limited Obstetrical Ultrasound

 

Scope of practice

  • Operating imaging equipment and reviewing images to be sure they are of good quality and helpful for verifying intrauterine pregnancy and viability.
  • Identifying normal and abnormal imaging results, communicating a summary of the results to physicians or other health professionals, and alerting physicians to urgent problems.
  • Preparing patients for procedures and educating patients throughout the ultrasound exam.
  • Reviewing patient medical history, recording imaging results in patient records, and coordinating care with various other personnel within the clinic, primarily the Client Advocate.

 

Job Duties and responsibilities

  1. Obtain and record accurate patient history, including prior test results and information from client mobile intake records.
  2. Select appropriate equipment settings and adjust patient positions to obtain the best sites and angles.
  3. Prepare patients for exam by explaining procedure, transferring them to ultrasound table, and applying gel, and positioning them properly.
  4. Observe and care for patients throughout examinations to ensure their safety and comfort.
  5. Observe screen during scan to ensure that image produced is satisfactory for limited ultrasound purposes, making adjustments to equipment as required.
  6. Decide which images to include, based on gestational age and start date of last menstrual period.
  7. Provide sonogram and oral or written summary of technical findings to physician for use in assessing intrauterine pregnancy and gestational age.
  8. Maintain records that include patient information, sonographs and interpretations.
  9. Adjust and maintain equipment, prepare work schedules, and evaluate equipment purchases as directed by the Executive Director.

 

Limited Obstetrical Ultrasound training of Licensed Medical Professional Qualifications

  • Medical professional currently licensed as an RN, PA, NP, CNMW, MD, or DO in good standing.
  • Solid computer skills: comfortable with latest technology, track ball/mouse, uploading digital images, electronic medical records.
  • Working knowledge of OB anatomy/physiology, willingness to perform both abdominal and transvaginal scans (necessary in early pregnancy).
  • Good vision with visual discrimination to differentiate between subtle differences in shades of gray scale tissue, recognizing anatomical landmarks, with attention to fine detail.
  • Steady hands, with good hand and eye coordination: able to use the right hand to manipulate the transducer with fine motor movements, eyes continually observing the screen, while using the left hand to adjust controls on the computer- based console.
  • Spatial ability: a category of reasoning skills refers to the capacity to think about objects in three dimensions and to draw conclusions about those objects from limited information. This skill is highly critical for the diagnostic purposes of sonography, as one must be able to view a two-dimensional black and white image on the screen (comprised of 256 shades of gray) while mentally correlating anatomy of the patient’s body and transducer movements necessary to obtain diagnostic quality images.
  • Ability to multi-task and observe many things at the same time.
  • Able to stand for prolonged periods, and to reach, grasp and apply pressure with the transducer.
  • Ability to recall information: consistently remember numerous steps necessary in following a scanning protocol and obtaining fetal heart rates.
  • Commitment to ongoing study (recommend 5-10 CME/CEUs per year in sonography)
  • Ability to perform approximately 100 scans per year after initial training to maintain competency.

To apply, contact Leah Conner at lconner@wpcnetwork.org

Contact Leah