Being an efficient sonographer takes a team. I can’t begin to tell you the love I have for anyone making my work life easier. From the schedulers speaking directly with patients before their appointments, alerting them of the prep necessary for the exam they will be visiting Me for; to the housekeeping staff that swiftly shuffle in and out of my room to refill the soap between patients— you’re like ninjas! I often don’t even see you to say “thanks”!
The front desk staff who face the patients first are always “on” and willing to help. They seem to get the brunt of unhappy visitors. You wouldn’t believe the number of naughty, maskless patients that arrive with recent positive COVID/Influenza tests noted in BRIGHT RED on their charts for all to see. Keep your germs at home, please! You’re not fooling anyone!
The other imaging modalities often have our shared patients on their schedule as well. Communication is key and I must say, throughout my long career I have only encountered well-intentioned, helpful technologists in CT, MRI, X-ray, Mammography & Nuclear Medicine. We are all here for the same reason, to help people.
Tech aides and imaging assistants have come to my rescue on countless occasions. They have assisted me with simple tasks like bringing water to a patient and specimens to the lab– to saving lives by double teaming CPR for a coding patient. Sound The Horns –imaging is filled with superheroes in case you didn’t know!
Unfortunately, I’ve noticed patients will be incredibly rude to the front desk staff and then full of charisma and good tidings to me.
What they don’t know is that today’s technology affords the front desk staff to fire off a Teams message alerting me of your poor behavior before I even call your name in the lobby.
Now— once I’m privy to your shitty, unnecessary treatment of my pals, there are several ways I could potentially help your inevitable karma along.
I might need to check that Murphy’s Sign and give your already aching right upper quadrant a good nudge or two. Documenting a positive Murphy’s Sign is important, after all.
Don’t you dare arrive 15 minutes late and think I can supercharge my brainpower somehow and knock out 60 minutes of imaging in 45 minutes. That’s not the quality of care I provide.
Ultrasound is the only modality NOT placing the patient in front of, beside, or in a machine to complete the exam for them. Sonographers are NOT just “picture takers”! We are often the first modality you come to because sound waves are not invasive. Clinicians and insurance companies often start with ultrasound over all the other modalities when they can.
When we see the cause of your abdominal pain is a pancreatic mass pushing into your splenic vein we continue, seemingly unfettered, without a change in our demeanor or cadence. We cannot give results because it’s against the law. If I gave you the results, (yes, I know your results, yes, we lay awake at night worrying about you.) that would be considered practicing medicine and I am not a doctor. When you say, “I know you can’t say anything, but…” and continue to ask me for the results of your exam, you are putting me in a tough spot and I don’t appreciate it. We don’t appreciate it.
Please be kind to all staff. We all have a hand in your care and hope you have a pleasant experience with us.
Thank you to every coworker who has ever made my life easier and an even bigger thanks to those of you who made it harder. You made me better. Better for myself and better for my patients. I am immensely grateful.
-JD
