Qualities Of An Ultrasound Technician

A lot has already been said about an ultrasound technician - from job description, how to become one, where to find the best possible training, basic skills required, job outlook, and salary, among others. However, not so much is known about the behavioural qualities of an ultrasound technologist or sonographer, another term used to refer to ultrasound technicians.

Because of that, it is vital that you understand how to deal with people as well. Following are traits of a good ultrasound technologist.

Good communication skills. As already mentioned, a technician has direct interface with patients; therefore, you should be able to make people feel at ease in your presence. In addition, you are also constantly in touch with doctors, thus, having the ability to interpret and communicate results accurately will greatly aid doctors in coming up with their diagnosis.

Very patient. You must have a long string of patience tucked under your sleeves considering the various personalities you encounter while doing your job. There may be times when you have to work with difficult patients or broken apparatus - these are all parts and parcel of your job. Thus, having a positive attitude and patience will help you through with your job.

Compassionate. Because of this direct interaction with sick people, you must learn to be sympathetic to their situations no matter how many times you have heard about the same condition. Most often, these patients are scared to know what is wrong with their health, thus, having concern and empathy towards the patients can help these people deal positively with their ailments.

Good multi-tasker. Aside from trying to get a good image scan of whatever it is that ails people, you also need to address other factors while doing your job. This include adjusting machine settings while performing a procedure, properly positioning the patient to get accurate scans, and answering queries of patients and being objective in your answers, among other tasks. You must have the presence of mind to do all these simultaneously.

Great organizational skills. Aside from getting visual scans, you also have to organize information that is specific to a patient. You will be dealing and interacting with different patients and it is crucial that you are able to systematize their files so that you do not mix patient information with another patient. This will avoid any untoward incidents in the future.

Good time management skills. A typical day would consist of meeting with patients and taking their scans. In addition, you also need to keep track of appointments and schedules, filling out patient records, discussing with doctors and fellow sonographers, among other duties. As such, you must be able to deal with all these daily without experiencing any hitches.

Therefore, it is not enough that you are technically adept with operating the machines because this is a people-oriented career as well. You do not only use machines, but you interact with patients who need answers to their medical conditions. So try to work on these qualities when you are already working as an ultrasound technologist.

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