Bridgette Ginn’s Career Plan
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
The use of diagnostic u ltrasound under the su pervision of a doctor of medicine for the use of interpretatio ns of ultrasound procedures. The sono grapher assists the phy sician in gathering sonographic data neces sary to reach diagnostic decisions.
What are My Career Options? • Cardiac Sonographer • Cardiac/Vascular Sonographer • Diagnostic Medical Sonographer • Echo Tech ▫ Echocardiographic Technician
• Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer • Sonogram Tech • Sonographer • Ultrasound Tech • Ultrasound Technologist
What a diagnostic medical sonographer is to do before, during, and after an examination.
Before an exam:
• Review patients’ medical files. • Explain the procedure • Position the patient • Applying the gel to the correct area of the body that is being examined.
Medical files s hould include information a bout previous test. The procedur e should be understood by the patient before beginn ing.
• A device is moved over the area of the body being examined. • Sound waves come back and are transferred to a computer and made into pictures. • Take notes about pictures. • Record and store images for the patients medical files.
During an exam: The device used is kno wn as a transducer . The transd ucer sends out sound waves. Sound wav es are also known as “echoes” The compu t e r is s p e c i alized just for specific task. The patien t or compu ter settings may have t o be adjust e d to g e t a good pictu re.
After an exam:
â€˘â€ˆSelect images that are shown to the radiologist. Radiologist interpret the results and t hen diagnos es the patient.
Information That Should Be Known
• Often write reports that are read by a physician. • Update, and maintain patients records. • Schedule appointments. • Clean equipment. The rep orts tell the find the ultr ings of asound .
What do diagnostic medical sonographers work with on a daily basis?
• Work indoors. ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫
Hospital Clinics Medical Offices Labs
• Full-time: usually work 40 hours a week. ▫ Work schedules can be irregular. ▫ May have to work evenings and weekends ▫ May be on call as well.
• Physically Demanding ▫ A lot of feet time ▫ A lot of bending over or stooping
• Must be able to lift, turn, or support a patient when needed.
• Could deal with difficult patients. • May be exposed to infectious diseases. ▫ Risk is minimized by sanitary procedures. Using surgical mask and gloves when working with a patient.
Salary in Nebraska Expectations for Earning in Nebraska
00 0 , 2 4 $ earn d l u o c son • A per 00 annually. to $81,0 000 , 0 6 $ : an s on d n e p ▫ Me di e lary d a s the s d n n o a s , r e • A pe er, experienc employ cation. lo s n o s r e p
2018 Nebraska Job Outlook: 467
• Entry Wage: ▫ $24.57 per hour ▫ $51,100 annually • Median Wage: ▫ $29.21 per hour ▫ $60,750 annually • Experienced Wage: ▫ $34.27 per hour ▫ $71,280 annually
Level 1. Level 2. Level 3.
Level One Sonography Student/Intern
• Requirements ▫ High school diploma ▫ Training or experience in health career field ▫ Enrollment in a diagnostic medical sonography program.
• Responsibilities ▫ Attendance in class ▫ Getting hands-on class experience in patient care settings Unpa id =(
Level Two Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
• Requirements ▫ Degree or certificate in Diagnostic Medical Sonography ▫ Possibly certified by American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.
• Responsibilities ▫ Scheduling appointments ▫ Reviewing and updating patients medical files. ▫ Performing ultrasound exams/Recording images. ▫ Selecting images for physicians to assess. ▫ Writing reports/speaking with physicians. ▫ Cleaning and maintaining equipment
$40,000 to $65,000 annually
Level Three Supervisor
• Requirements ▫ Five (5+) or more years of experience
• Responsibilities ▫ Ordinary Medical Diagnostic Sonographers responsibilities ▫ Training sonography students ▫ Supervising junior sonographers.
$60,000 to $81,000 annually
Educational Requirements Colleges that Offer Programs in Field Colleges Chosen for Application. Cost of Attending Chosen College. Scholarships Available.
Colleges
• Clarkson College • University of Nebraska at Lincoln (UNL) • University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) • Creighton University • Central Community College ▫ Hastings ▫ Grand Island • University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) • Hastings College
Chosen Colleges
• Clarkson College • University of Nebraska at Lincoln (UNL) • University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) • Creighton University • Hastings College
Cost
• Clarkson College: ▫ Total: $2,400-3,200 annually • University of Nebraska at Lincoln (UNL) ▫ Total for residents: $15,000-$16,000 ▫ Total for non-residents: $27,000-$28,000 • University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) ▫ Total: $ 27,000-$28,000
some totals are estimated
• Creighton University ▫ $42,000-$43,000 • Hastings College ▫ $28,000-$29,000
Scholarships
• Clarkson College ▫ Clarkson Service League Scholarship (not for Clarkson College students)
▫ Clarkson College President’s Scholarship (not for Clarkson College students)
▫ Endowed Scholarships • University of Nebraska at Lincoln (UNL) ▫ Chancellor’s Scholarship ▫ Regents Scholarship ▫ David Distinguished Scholarship ▫ Canfield Scholarship
• University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) ▫ Board of Regents Scholarship ▫ Chancellor’s Scholarship ▫ Dean’s Scholarship • Creighton University ▫ Family Scholarship • Hastings College ▫ Creigh Weyer Scholarship ▫ Evans Storer Scholarship
Job Shadow at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital Hastings, Nebraska, 68901 Physical Therapy Assistant
• I have had an experience watching an ultra sound being done – while my sister was pregnant with my niece.
Since I haven’t job shadowed this field, I can’t give my experience working in this field. The experience I had watching the ultra sound of my niece was had a huge effect on me, and it made me think – I would love to work with this and do ultra sounds and help people. I plan on job shadowing a career in radiology or ultra sound tech during the spring at Mary Lanning when they get their radiology department, as well as at Hastings Imaging Center.
I didn’t job shadow this exact career path, but it still helped influence my choice to pursue this field.