Final Exam Review Notes

Qualities of a Sonographer

  • Compassion and Interpersonal Skills:

    • Explain the procedure to patients, especially those who are nervous.
    • Communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals.
    • Examples:
      • Constant check-ins with patients to ensure understanding.
      • Leave room for patient questions.
      • Introduce yourself and explain the exam beforehand.

  • Technical Skills:

    • Proficiency in various ultrasound modalities: 2D, M-mode, pulse wave, color Doppler, tissue Doppler, continuous wave Doppler.
    • Properly maintain ultrasound equipment.
    • Ultrasound is user-dependent; the radiologist will only see what the sonographer images.
    • Examples:
      • Continuing education in ultrasound advancements.
      • Understanding the ultrasound machine before use.
      • Passing the physics course.

  • Learner:

    • Importance:
      • Keeping up with changes in the medical field.
      • Medicine is always evolving, and there's always something new to learn.
      • Stay up-to-date with licensing requirements through continuing education credits.
      • Maintain current knowledge of anatomy, recognizing individual variations.

  • Detail Oriented:

    • Vital role in the medical team; share potential concerns with physicians, especially in emergency settings.

  • Strength:

    • Physical Strength:
      • Important due to the physical demands of the job.
      • Scanning multiple patients daily, prepping rooms, moving equipment, and assisting patients.
      • Being on your feet for most of the day can be tiring.
    • Mental Strength:
      • Concentration and focus during lengthy and detailed exams.
      • Dealing with sick or angry patients and poor prognoses.
      • Maintaining personal well-being through hobbies, time off, and seeking support when overwhelmed.
      • Adjusting workflow to manage stress.

History of Ultrasound

  • Final exam question: Identify one advancement in each decade from the 1950s to the present.
  • Worth 10 points.
  • Provide a few sentences (3-4) about each advancement, including who made it, what it is, and an explanation.
  • The purpose is to appreciate the field's growth.
  • Even older machines can produce diagnostic images.
  • Example:
    • 1950s: First echocardiogram performed. Include who performed it, where, and what it looked like.
    • 1960s: Developments led to imaging of blood flow in the heart. Include creator, location, and details.

Professional Societies

  • Pick two and have bullet points ready, as it might be a short answer question.

  • ARDMS (American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography):

    • Key Points:
      • Provides credentialing.
      • Yearly fee (9595).
      • Nonprofit.
      • Increases job opportunities.
      • Audits for CMEs.
      • Non-voluntary.

  • SDMS (Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography):

    • Key Points:
      • Opportunities for CMEs through journal articles.
      • Voluntary membership. You do not need to be a member.
      • Creates the code of ethics.
      • Another yearly fee (voluntary).
      • Provides journal entries and information on sonographer salaries.
      • Nonprofit.

Sonographer Code of Ethics

  • Three Major Principles:
    • Promote patient well-being.
    • Be competent.
    • Demonstrate integrity.
  • Examples:
    • Promoting Patient Well-being:
      • Maintaining confidentiality within HIPAA guidelines.
      • Honoring patient requests to stop exams.
      • Ensuring a safe and clean exam room.
      • Walking the wheels on a wheelchair
    • Remaining Competent:
      • Continuing education credits.
      • Graduating from the program and getting registered.
      • Being truthful.
      • Not performing scans you are unfamiliar with.
    • Demonstrating Integrity:
      • Only doing exams you are certified in.
      • Being honest.
      • Showing up to work on time.
      • Abstaining from drugs, alcohol, or medications that impair job performance.
  • Main Point: Promote responsibility, accountability, and integrity to create an encouraging and ethical environment.

Patient Bill of Rights

  • Patients deserve respect, dignity, and involvement in their care.

  • Five Patient Rights:

    • The right to information about healthcare options.

      • Example: Explaining why a test was ordered.

    • The right to make decisions regarding healthcare.

    • The right to transparency of medical quality and cost.

      • Example: Providing the diagnoses codes for a patient to call their insurance company

    • The right to quality medical care.

    • The right to privacy and data confidentiality.

  • Need to provide specific examples of how you, as a sonographer, will uphold these rights.

Communication

  • Enhancing Communication:
    • Active listening: Allowing questions and listening to concerns.
    • Explaining the exam before starting.
    • Using nonverbal communication.
    • Using plain language, avoiding medical jargon.
    • Constant check-ins with patients.
  • Verbal vs. Nonverbal Communication: Nonverbal cues are significant (65%).
  • Techniques to Avoid (Barriers to Communication):
    • Rudeness.
    • Ignoring the patient.
    • Being judgmental.
    • Rushing the procedure.
    • Typing on the computer while the patient is talking or looking away from them.
    • Having crossing arms, and a closed-off body structure

Sonographic Reports

  • Elements of a Sonographic Report:
    • Patient demographics.
    • What exam is being done, what are findings in the exam
    • Description of pathology using sonographic terms.
    • Measurements.
    • Signs and symptoms.
    • Comparison to previous ultrasounds or imaging.
    • Patient history.
    • Relevant family or medical history.