Registered Sonographer

Where compassion meets innovation and technology and our employees are family.

General Purpose of Job:

Utilizing high frequency sound waves and other diagnostic techniques to produce and evaluate ultrasound images and related data that are used by physicians to render medical diagnosis.  He or she can perform all duties of radiographer I if registered with the American College of Radiology (ARRT) as required.  Maintains own clinical competency in Ultrasound and Radiography if registered both modalities.

The sonographer will perform other duties as deemed necessary.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; employees will perform other reasonably related business duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor and/or hospital administration as required.

• Maintains utmost level of confidentiality at all times.
• Adheres to hospital policies and procedures.
• Demonstrates business practices and personal actions that are ethical and adhere to corporate compliance and integrity guidelines. 
• Maintains clinical records
• Maintain infection control and use standard precautions, including good hand washing before and following patient contact
• Accurately enters patient demographics into instrument memory
• Selects appropriate transducer, set initial power output and gain for patient size and age
• Recognizes differences in normal and abnormal tissue structures
• Obtains and evaluates pertinent patient history and physical findings
• Extends standard imaging protocols as required by patient history or initial sonographic findings
• Recognizes examination findings that may require an immediate clinical response and notifies interpreting physician
• Selects proper transducers for the study being performed
• Transfers images to “hard copy” or to PACS system as appropriate.
• Consistently provides best images possible within the limitations imposed by available resources
• Employs professional judgment and discretion to protect patient rights and perform within scope of practice
• Documents equipment performance service, maintenance and configuration changes
• Assists in cyst aspiration, fluid aspiration and biopsy procedures
• Assists in developing/maintaining ultrasound procedure manual
• Assists in maintaining the section in full compliance with all requirements of ACR certification for ultrasound facilities
• Reviews medical record and uses personal patient/parent interview to obtain significant clinical information and historical facts, which may affect the sonographic examination
• Provides basic patient care and comfort, including good infection control practices, including good hand washing technique, appropriate use of standard precautions
• Consistently provides the best image quality within the limitations of available resources and patient clinical status
• Recognize significant clinical information and historical facts from the patient and medical record, which may affect the sonographic examination
• Identifies life threatening situations and responds appropriately
• Uses oral and written communication skills to interact with interpreting physician
• Recognize the sonographic appearance of normal and abnormal tissue structures
• Notifies appropriate physician of findings that may require immediate clinical response
• Recognize and compensate for acoustic artifact
• Identifies life threatening situations and responds appropriately
• Uses oral and written communication skills to interact with interpreting physician
• Performs all duties of diagnostic sonographer and radiographer
• Performs other related duties as assigned
• Assists in the collection of pertinent information regarding equipment, the procedures and the work environment
• Assists in the collection of pertinent data regarding departmental Process Improvement activities
• Ensures that services are performed in a safe environment in accordance with established guidelines
• Assesses equipment to determine acceptable performance based on established guidelines
• Reviews protocol and procedure manuals as well as Safety, Risk Management,  Radiation Safety and other pertinent manuals on at least an annual basis
• Analysis information collected and recommends whether changes need to be made to equipment, procedures or work environment; discusses any recommended changes with appropriate supervisor
• Instructs students regarding sonographic policies and procedures
• Assists in performing quality assurance activities based on established quality protocols
• Assists in developing/maintaining ultrasound procedure manual
• Performs weekly inventory of area supplies, orders needed items via computer
• Assists in maintaining the section in full compliance with all requirements of ACR certification for ultrasound facilities
• Assists in ensuring all QA checks are completed in a timely manner
• Assists in performing departmental safety inspections
• Reports equipment malfunction to appropriate individuals e.g., supervisor, service vendors, ensuring all required documentation is completed
• Assists in updating/maintaining departmental Policy and Procedure Manuals for optimal compliance with JCAHO
• Performs all duties of sonographer and radiographer
• Performs other related duties as assigned
• Ensures that self assists in the collection of pertinent information regarding equipment, the procedures and the work environment.
• Assists in the collection of pertinent data regarding departmental Process Improvement activities. 
• Ensures that services are performed in a safe environment in accordance with established guidelines.
• Ensures that equipment maintenance and operation comply with established guidelines.
• Assesses equipment to determine acceptable performance based on established guidelines.
• Reviews protocol and procedure manuals as well as Safety, Risk Management, Radiation Safety and other pertinent manuals on at least an annual basis.
• Analyzes information collected and recommends whether changes need to be made to equipment, procedures or work environment; discusses any recommended changes with appropriate supervisor.
• Ensures that self and sonographers instructs students regarding sonographic policies and procedures.
• Ensures that self and technologists assists in performing quality assurance activities based on established quality protocols.
• Evaluates self on quality assurance results and establishes an appropriate action plan for improvement as required
• Compares quality assurance results to established acceptable values
• Implements a self-improvement QA action plan, and assists technologists in their plans as required.
• Able to performs radiography if licensed with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists as a radiographer (ARRT RT(R) and with the Texas Medical Board as a Certified Medical Radiologic Technologist (CMRT)

Education and/or Experience:

• Training as a Medical Diagnostic Sonographer (Typically 12-18 mos.)
• 2-3 years as a pediatric Sonography experience in a hospital setting preferred
• Associate's degree (A. A.) or equivalent from two-year College or technical school in radiologic technology if applicable but not mandatory for a sonographer.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) or
• Registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists as a Sonographer (RT-S)
• Registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists as a Registered Radiologic Technologist (RT-R) if performing radiography
• Current unlimited license with the Texas Medical Board as a Certified Medical Radiologic Technologist (CMRT) if performing radiography
• CPR Certification within 30 days of hiring Delete category if not applicable.