What to Expect: Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Stress Level
Working in a medical setting is one of the most stressful kinds of jobs out there. Handling patients’ health --- heck, their lives --- brings a higher level of urgency to a person’s job. While an ultrasound may seem like an easy diagnostic procedure to do, it can mean the different between life and death for patients suffering from severe diseases. Because of this, the diagnostic medical stress level can easily go up. Read on to understand about how a day-in-the-life of a sonographer goes.
Knowing how an ultrasound works
Diagnostic medical sonography or “ultrasound” is a medical procedure where in sound waves are used to create pictures of structures inside the body --- without surgery or a similarly invasive procedure. A sonography machine is made up of two main parts: the computer and the transducer. The transducer is a hand-held object that sends out the sound waves and is placed against the body. As the sound waves bounce off of organs and bone and back to the transducer, the signals created are sent back to the computer where images are seen on the computer screen.
What the sonographer does
A sonographer is responsible for properly positioning the patient, prepping him or her regarding what to expect from the procedure, and maneuvering the machine so that the correct area or organ is seen and “filmed”. They are responsible for troubleshooting the machine or the patient’s position as well. For highly urgent cases like appendicitis or internal bleeding, a simple ultrasound procedure can become time-constrained and highly stressful on the sonographer.
Sonographer career and job outlook
While Diagnostic Medical Sonographer stress level changes among different sonographers, job outlook for the occupation remains one of the best in the country. On average, sonographers earn $70,880 annually. This amount is higher for certain states, like California, where medical occupations are paid as high as $100,000 annually on average. Certain industries pay better than others as well, with outpatient care centers topping the list with annual sonographer salaries of $83,600 on average.
Bad things about being a sonographer
Because a sonographer can often experience high stress situations at work, the job can become very taxing on the body, both physically and emotionally. Sonographers are often diagnosed with repetitive stress injuries, particularly in the back and extremities. The long work hours and short breaks can also be emotionally stressful, especially if there are a lot of emergency cases lined up that need to be done. Factors that can influence sonographer job satisfaction include biomechanical and environmental factors (e.g. the workstation, equipment, work space layout), administrative factors (e.g. patient scheduling, staffing), and worker practices (e.g. proper posture).
All in all, there is a lot to consider when talking about Diagnostic Medical Sonographer stress level. If you are interested in a career as a sonographer, be sure to do your research first. If possible, shadowing a sonographer during summer break or holidays before college applications start can be a good way to see just what you’re getting yourself into.
Knowing how an ultrasound works
Diagnostic medical sonography or “ultrasound” is a medical procedure where in sound waves are used to create pictures of structures inside the body --- without surgery or a similarly invasive procedure. A sonography machine is made up of two main parts: the computer and the transducer. The transducer is a hand-held object that sends out the sound waves and is placed against the body. As the sound waves bounce off of organs and bone and back to the transducer, the signals created are sent back to the computer where images are seen on the computer screen.
What the sonographer does
A sonographer is responsible for properly positioning the patient, prepping him or her regarding what to expect from the procedure, and maneuvering the machine so that the correct area or organ is seen and “filmed”. They are responsible for troubleshooting the machine or the patient’s position as well. For highly urgent cases like appendicitis or internal bleeding, a simple ultrasound procedure can become time-constrained and highly stressful on the sonographer.
Sonographer career and job outlook
While Diagnostic Medical Sonographer stress level changes among different sonographers, job outlook for the occupation remains one of the best in the country. On average, sonographers earn $70,880 annually. This amount is higher for certain states, like California, where medical occupations are paid as high as $100,000 annually on average. Certain industries pay better than others as well, with outpatient care centers topping the list with annual sonographer salaries of $83,600 on average.
Bad things about being a sonographer
Because a sonographer can often experience high stress situations at work, the job can become very taxing on the body, both physically and emotionally. Sonographers are often diagnosed with repetitive stress injuries, particularly in the back and extremities. The long work hours and short breaks can also be emotionally stressful, especially if there are a lot of emergency cases lined up that need to be done. Factors that can influence sonographer job satisfaction include biomechanical and environmental factors (e.g. the workstation, equipment, work space layout), administrative factors (e.g. patient scheduling, staffing), and worker practices (e.g. proper posture).
All in all, there is a lot to consider when talking about Diagnostic Medical Sonographer stress level. If you are interested in a career as a sonographer, be sure to do your research first. If possible, shadowing a sonographer during summer break or holidays before college applications start can be a good way to see just what you’re getting yourself into.