Question 1:
A sonographer refers to medical healthcare professionals who operate and interpret diagnostic scans of the human body, known as ultrasounds (1). Though the roles and responsibilities of sonographers differ among nations, the Australian healthcare system recognises sonographer’s as those with relevant and accredited postgraduate qualifications under the Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry (ASAR) (2, 3). Though sonographers are not responsible for the diagnosis of a patient, a sonographer's insight into ultrasound examination and interpretation plays a vital role in a physician's final report (4). As sonographers most commonly conduct ultrasound examinations, they must have the scanning and communication skills to provide …show more content…
During the examination, sonographers must have the critical communication to direct the patient’s body for optimal images while simultaneously supporting the patient emotionally and mentally (5, 7). This responsibility as frontline practitioners to provide patient-centred services is essential to the progression of pathology as it can strengthen or diminish a patient’s trust in the Australian healthcare system and, thus, their willingness to partake in tests that may determine their illness (8). This real-time nature of ultrasounds also requires sonographers to use anatomical knowledge and clinical reasoning skills to adjust the patient and produce optimal scans that capture possible abnormalities (7). While it is within a sonographer’s scope to interpret and comment on sonographic images, it is beyond their scope to make or communicate clinical decisions to a patient about the examination regardless of a patient’s expectation for immediate results (4). Instead, radiologists are responsible for providing a final report to a referring doctor, while a sonographer's responsibility is to comment on the findings and consult with the attending physicians about the examination (4,
A sonographer refers to medical healthcare professionals who operate and interpret diagnostic scans of the human body, known as ultrasounds (1). Though the roles and responsibilities of sonographers differ among nations, the Australian healthcare system recognises sonographer’s as those with relevant and accredited postgraduate qualifications under the Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry (ASAR) (2, 3). Though sonographers are not responsible for the diagnosis of a patient, a sonographer's insight into ultrasound examination and interpretation plays a vital role in a physician's final report (4). As sonographers most commonly conduct ultrasound examinations, they must have the scanning and communication skills to provide …show more content…
During the examination, sonographers must have the critical communication to direct the patient’s body for optimal images while simultaneously supporting the patient emotionally and mentally (5, 7). This responsibility as frontline practitioners to provide patient-centred services is essential to the progression of pathology as it can strengthen or diminish a patient’s trust in the Australian healthcare system and, thus, their willingness to partake in tests that may determine their illness (8). This real-time nature of ultrasounds also requires sonographers to use anatomical knowledge and clinical reasoning skills to adjust the patient and produce optimal scans that capture possible abnormalities (7). While it is within a sonographer’s scope to interpret and comment on sonographic images, it is beyond their scope to make or communicate clinical decisions to a patient about the examination regardless of a patient’s expectation for immediate results (4). Instead, radiologists are responsible for providing a final report to a referring doctor, while a sonographer's responsibility is to comment on the findings and consult with the attending physicians about the examination (4,