Much has been said about an ultrasound technician – starting from the job description, how to become one, where to find the best training, the basic skills needed, work views, and salary, among others. However, not much is known about the quality of behavior of an ultrasonography or sonography technologist, another term used to refer to an ultrasound technician.
Therefore, it is very important for you to understand how to deal with other people too. The following are the characteristics of a good ultrasound technology.
Good communication skills. As mentioned, a technician has a direct interface with patients; therefore, you must be able to make people feel good about your presence. In addition, you are also always in contact with the doctor, thus, having the ability to interpret and communicate the results accurately will greatly assist the doctor in diagnosing.
Very patient. You must have a long series of patience tucked behind your sleeve remembering the various personalities that you encounter while doing your work. There may be times when you have to work with difficult patients or broken equipment – this is all part of your job. Thus, having a positive attitude and patience will help you get your work done.
Compassion. Because of this direct interaction with the sick, you must learn to sympathize with their situation, no matter how many times you have heard of the same condition. Most often, these patients are afraid of knowing what is wrong with their health, thus, having caring and empathy for patients can help these people deal with their illness positively.
Good multi-tasker. In addition to trying to get a good image scan of anything that makes people sick, you also need to overcome other factors when doing your work. This includes adjusting machine settings when performing procedures, positioning patients correctly to get accurate scans, and answering patient questions and being objective in your answers, among other tasks. You must have the presence of mind to do all of this simultaneously.
Great organizational skills. In addition to getting a visual scan, you must also arrange information that is specific to the patient. You will face and interact with different patients and it is very important that you can systematically make their files so that you do not mix patient information with other patients. This will avoid unwanted incidents in the future.
Good time management skills. A typical day will consist of meeting with patients and taking their scans. In addition, you also need to track appointments and schedules, fill in patient records, discuss with doctors and fellow sonographers, among other tasks. Thus, you must be able to handle all of this every day without experiencing obstacles.
Therefore, it is not enough that you are technically proficient at operating machines because this is a people-oriented career too. You not only use a machine, 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 tech.
