Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Sonography utilizes sound waves to generate an image that can be analyzed to determine or rule out a diagnosis. Ultrasound or ultrasonography is a medical imaging technique that uses high frequency sound waves. It is a high pitch frequency that cannot be heard by the human ear. A diagnostic medical sonographer works directly with patients in a dimly lit room with imaging machines. The sonographer gets the medical history of the patient and prepares the patient for an ultrasound examination. The sonographer explains the noninvasive procedure and answers any question the patient might have. The sonographer positions the patient and covers the patient only exposing the area needed for the procedure. The sonographer …show more content…
This means that ultrasound technicians will enjoy increased job opportunities as their services become vital to the healthcare industry. While hospitals will still be the largest employer of sonographers new employment opportunities will be available in outpatient care facilities. As technology advances, physician offices and diagnostic labs will be able to perform procedures that were once considered too complicated for an outpatient facility. The Bureau of Labor Statics (BLS) stated the median annual wage for diagnostic sonographer was $65,860 in May 2012. The Median is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than the amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $44,990, and the top percent earned more than $91,170. Most diagnostic imaging workers work full time. Because they work in facilities that are always open, some may work evenings, weekends, or …show more content…
Two-year associate degree is commonly accepted. After two years of educational expenses, sonographers graduate to find that their services are in demand and that starting salaries are generous enough to justify the investment in a college education. Since sonography is in high demand you have job security, good benefits packages, and the opportunity for ultrasound career development and the satisfaction for helping patients as part of a dedicated team of health care professionals. Not only do ultrasound technicians receive good health benefits, but they also extend down to their family as well. This job helps to diagnose people who may be experiencing a disease or an illness. Its real time capabilities allow it to be used for guiding biopsies and other procedures and can ensure that the best images are gathered during diagnostic scans. The procedures are safe, painless, and non-invasive. The ultrasound machine is also portable. It can help diagnose a range of conditions in different parts of the body, such as the abdomen, pelvis, blood vessels, breast, kidneys, muscles, bone and joints. Ultrasounds are used to check the health of a baby during pregnancy. Because sonographers are part of a patient-facing service, they have the chance to provide a personal touch to patient care. Many ultrasound technicians find this is an intensely rewarding experience. There
Is it a girl or boy ? As a Ultrasound Technician you could be the one answering this or a host of other medical questions with help of ultrasound technology. The career of a Ultrasound Technician is exciting and beautiful , because you are there through the whole growth process of one’s child. The research will describe the career of a Ultrasound Technician, what is required to become a successful Ultrasound Technician and the impact this career has on society.
A diagnostic medical sonographer is also known as an ultrasound technologist, or simply a sonographer. They use high-frequency sound waves, which are an offshoot of World War two sonar technology, to produce images of the internal body (“Diagnostic” 162). This picture is shown when the sound waves bounce off the internal body, and then become echoes that are now displayed as a two-dimensional black and white image on video. These images are then studied by a physician who studies the function of organs. A sonographer not only completes procedures for pregnant women as it is most known, but also for cysts, abdominal tumors, and the functions of blood vessels and heart valves.
Diagnostic medical sonographers play a key role in the health care team and often work alongside doctors, nurses, and other technologists. They prepare patients by explaining the procedure and collect necessary patient history information prior to examination. An ultrasound is then performed, which is a non-invasive process that enables sonographers to send high-frequency sound waves into the body. The return signals are then analyzed to help visualize internal organs in 2D, 3D or 4D. These images help physicians with medical diagnoses and are also used for monitoring pregnancy. An ultrasound is often executed on many different areas of the body including the abdomen, pelvis, tissues, and vascular and cardiac systems. A DMS may also be required
“Diagnostic medical sonographers work in a variety of settings such as hospitals, imaging centers, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), physicians’ offices, mobile imaging clinics, industry, and clinical research labs (“Diagnostic” 163)”. Also, other places sonographers may work at are in departments of cardiology, radiology, obstetrics, and vascular surgery. Most sonographers work the daily hours of 8:00 A.M to 5:00 P.M and there are usually never any overtime opportunities. Being said, a sonographer has no typical everyday style; they complete a wide variety of examinations of fetal ultrasounds, gynecological (uterus, ovaries) and abdominal as gallbladder, liver and kidney tests.
Pursuing an education is important when it comes to being successful at a career. To become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, it is essential to graduate high school and college, taking all the required classes that are necessary. High school classes that are most beneficial to students wanting to become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer are classes in anatomy, physiology, and physics (Kriegh, Chaylene). To become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, a college degree is needed. It usually takes four to six years to complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree in sonography (Hiltgen, Lisa). The first two years of college are focused on completing an associate’s degree in an ultrasound program to attain an Allied-Health Associates degree. The completion of
Being able to identify lumps, swelling, tissue damage, cysts, and the overwhelming news of the sex of a baby all have something in common, an ultrasound. Swelling of the spleen, kidney stones, blood clots, aneurysms, cancer and so much more can be identified through the works of an ultrasound’s imaging technique. Ultrasound involves many concepts, procedures, and careers. The amount of medical possibilities involved with ultrasounds is useful in major medical diagnostics. The field of ultrasounds and career opportunities are widely growing. As medical careers flourish, needs for technicians in many fields of medicine are increasing. Instead of a doctor choosing complex and risky surgery to find out problems within the body, they can now
The increasing demand for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic technology promises an exceptional outlook for sonographers. The majority of diagnostic medical sonographers are employed by hospitals, but accessibility to low-cost portable ultrasound equipment has led to a growing number of career opportunities at clinics and diagnostic centers (Rising Demand for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers). They now have access to portable units as small as laptop computers making commuting from hospital bedsides to clinical practices easier. Since some sonographers make their own schedules through contracts with clinics, these portable units make traveling much more convenient.
As many medical advances as there are today, numerous careers in a medical field have a positive growth in job outlook. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the diagnostic medical sonographer career field is projected to grow 26 percent from 2014 to 2024. Research anticipates this field of study to grow at a much faster pace than the average for all occupations. Resources also indicate that advances in imaging technology will lead medical services to utilize it more in place of costly, invasive procedures and less-expensive equipment, which also means more procedures will be conducted outside hospitals. It was found that in 2014, there were approximately 60,700 individuals employed as a diagnostic medical sonographer. With a 26
The role of a sonographer is to produce a high quality sonogram based on the order of the patient's physician to assist in diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. Primarily, the responsibility that accompanies this role is to that of the patient, their well-being and maximal comfort while in your care. This includes everything from preparing the patient through a verbal explanation on the logistics of the procedure to answering questions to alleviate any anxiety they may have over the examination. Additionally, depending on the client, the patient may need physical assistance to assume the correct position for the exam in a manner that prevents injury to both the patient and the sonographer. Following the scan, the sonographer must analyze
Sonography has many good and bad disadvantages. One of the advantages this career has is that you will be looking at baby’s. You will be the first person to tell any mother what the baby will be a girl or boy. You will bring joy to both parents mom and dad just by saying “It’s a Girl” or “Its a boy”. Another advantage is that you will be in touch with you patients you will have to listen to what they have to tell you. What i’m actually saying about this is that many of your patients will get emotional and you will have to be there to support them. Just as there is advantages there is also disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is that you may have to work over time you will be standing up 98% of the time. You might also have to work night shifts depending on what hospital you actually get a job at. but in my opinion i feel like being a sonographer is amazing.
A diagnostic medical sonographer utilizes unique imaging machinery to generate images and perform exams. They use ultrasound technology to obtain pictures of tissues and body organs. The career of sonography offers a wide range of specialties from obstetric and gynecologic to neurosonography. Some of the duties of a sonographer include prepare the patients for the procedure and examine the data recorded to give a detailed summary to the physician. Like any other healthcare professional, ultrasound technicians have responsibilities that are listed in the scope of practice (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014).
“Scrub wearin’, gel squirtin’, patient scannin’, baby findin’, Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. Eat, Sleep, Scan.” Before I began my research on being a Medical Sonographer, I already had a pretty good idea at some of the things they do. They mainly do ultrasounds on babies, to see the growth and health of the baby. They also do ultrasounds on all different people, if they’re in pain and they need to determine the problem. Their job might seem easy; sometimes it is, but the other times when we discover something wrong with the patient you have to keep it in. You are not allowed to tell them what you just found out; only the doctor can do so. It’s very heartbreaking for them to do baby ultrasounds because sometimes, for some unknown reason something happens to that baby and it’s hard to keep that bottled up and act like nothing’s wrong in front of their parents. I wanted to find out what this job requires and what kind of education i need to obtain to get a job for this career. I also wanted to find out the employment outlook, the estimated salary, and jobs in Mississippi for this career. The first place I went to find my information was referred to by my teacher, where I found every answer I needed and more. The website I found my information on is called mschoices.com. It gave me my complete job outlook, requirements, and the salary of a Medical Sonographer. After I gathered all of my research I set up an interview with a medical sonographer at a clinic in Tupelo to ask a
Sonography is a non-invasive medical procedure that uses the echoes of high-frequency sound waves to construct an image of internal organs or body structures. The employment rate is is expected to grow 26 percent from 2014 to 2024. Since ultrasound is non-invasive, it is more encouraged than other methods so the career is always in demand. Diagnostic medical sonographers duties are to prepare and maintain diagnostic imaging equipment, taking a patients medical history, answering questions about the procedure, operating the equipment, review images and test results, know the difference between normal and abnormal images, analyze diagnostic information, record findings, and keep track of patient records. Hospitals, offices of physicians, medical
2. My future job will be as a diagnostic medical sonographer. To be a diagnostic medical sonographer, I would only need a two year degree. I found this by searching ‘jobs that require a two year degree’ into the search browser. Diagnostic medical sonographers work about 40 hours a week, with a possibility of getting called in to treat a patient. They also earn about $68,970, with the lowest-paid is $48,720 and the highest-paid being $97,390.
An Ultrasound when being referred to medicine is a test used to diagnose patients or view a fetus in the womb. In physics ultrasound is a high frequency sound wave that travels as a longitudinal wave. Ultrasounds are longitudinal waves because they pass through a medium. (BBC News) Ultrasound uses no radiation unlike other medical imaging techniques such as x-ray, which is why it is the preferred method to examine a fetus during pregnancy. (Krans, "Ultrasound")