Ultrasound technicians are diagnostic technicians who use sonograms to create images of structures inside the body. They are able to analyze the images from the machine and help diagnose medical conditions and diseases. With an increasing demand for non-invasive, non-radiologic diagnostic procedures, the employment level for sonographers has been increasing. Working as a sonographer has its benefits and risks, and a lot of factors come into play when it comes to job satisfaction.
Day-to-day patient interaction
One of the biggest factors that affect your job as a diagnostic medical sonographer is dealing with patients. Because sonography is non-invasive and does not involve radiation or sedation, sonographers deal with conscious patients every day. Sonographers have to learn how to interact with patients from different walks of life – polite patients, rude patients, quiet patients, loud patients, and many others. You will meet patients you will disagree with or have trouble talking to, and as a healthcare provider, you will have to deal with them all professionally.
Long-work hours
One of the biggest complaints that people who work in healthcare have is the long work hours. Most of the time you will have to go overtime because of reports you need to finish or more patients who need to undergo sonography. Most of the time, a sonographer has to spend his or her whole shift standing up. Because of this, there has been a report of increasing musculoskeletal problems among sonographers. According to the Society for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), over 80 percent of sonographers experience musculoskeletal problems.
Wages and employment
Ultrasound techs are among the best paid healthcare providers in 2014. Annual wage was just under $70,000, with an hourly wage of $32.29. The highest paying state was California, where sonographers earned $86,550 annually. In certain cities in California, sonographers were earning as much as $111,700 (San Francisco, San Mateo, and Redwood City area). The highest paying industry was outpatient centers, where sonographers were earning $73,640 annually on average. Learn more detail salary information here: http://www.ultrasoundtechniciancenter.org/salary/overview.html
The value of helping others
The biggest benefit a sonographer will realize while working is that working in healthcare allows you to help people and better their lives. For most sonographers, there is a sense of satisfaction from this, especially when they interact with patients daily. Being an ultrasound technician - a healthcare worker - reaps a lot of benefits, both financially and spiritually. Visit the website through the link for more information about working as a sonographer.