Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSD's) among Sonographers are being reported as high as 90% scanning in pain, due to the increasing demand and schedules not appropriately being regulated per shifts accordingly. Ultrasound is a safe and cheaper modality, therefore increased numbers of exams per Sonographer, are being pushed and implemented without any regard to the Sonographer's health and well being, this includes Vascular Technologist and Echo Technologist on a daily basis, including an increased in portable exam being ordered. This puts a toll on the Sonographer's body and possibly ending their career due to suffering with pain, injuries and some with surgeries ending in disability, never to be able to scan again.
We need change and a call to action in our industry.We need a black-and- white tangible limit based ratio enforced and implemented into our daily schedules to prevent us from being injured, there needs to be a cap on the excessive amount of scans we do per shift by each sonographer to reduce the atrocious injuries we suffer , some ending their careers and going into disability which in turn it’s also costly to all. We need safe staffing ratios implemented in our daily schedules for the safety of our patients and Sonographers.
The most common injuries among sonographers are carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome, epicondylitis of the elbow, shoulder capsulitis and tendonitis, and neck and back strains.
WRMSD are preventing sonographers, physicians, and other medical professionals from providing critical care to millions of patients each day as well as limiting the careers and personal lives of these highly skilled clinicians. WRMSD cost employers $120 billion each year in direct and indirect costs.
Alternatively, WRMSDs are putting a strain on America’s health care system, limiting the careers of highly skilled clinicians, preventing them from leading productive lives and costing employers $120 billion each year in direct and indirect costs. Immediate action is needed to stop WRMSD.
.
This is a career that we chose to enter due to our love of helping others and our commitment to others' well being. To continue to perform to the best of our ability and give the emotional and medical support that our patients deserve and rightfully demand, we also need to consider the well being of the Sonographer.
Although making the decision to leave a career that we love is a difficult choice, we hear more and more of sonographers retiring early or changing careers due to work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) We want to see ratios implemented per shift just as nurses have so we may prevent injuries and maintain healthy and provide safety and quality care to our patients.
We feel, as medical professionals, that there needs to be more control over the number of patients that Sonographers and Vascular Technologists are expected to scan on a daily basis. Although we understand that this would not be a simple task of placing a number on a daily schedule, we also understand that unless this is addressed, the number of sonographers scanning in pain, retiring early and/or changing careers will continue to increase daily and is costing
As one of our biggest governing bodies, that help and educate us throughout our careers, we hope that we can reach out to you, and try to work on this process together. As individuals we would not have the resources to have any real chance of success, but together, we would have a realistic opportunity to make a change to the many dedicated medical professionals in this field. Together we can take a step towards decreasing and limiting the amount of Work Related injuries that we, unfortunately, have come to accept.
We thrive in helping others, we love what we do, we get great satisfaction out of helping others stay healthy, we are just asking for the opportunity to continue in our chosen career in a healthy and stable environment.
Please kindly take a few minutes to sign the petition. Thank you for your time.
Sonographers United
#Sonographersunitedforsafety #sonographerratios #sonographerergonomics #USSAFE #reducesonographerinjuries #stopwrmsd #sonographerstrong #sonographersunited
Updates
Reached 5,000 supporters
February 5, 2022
Reached 1,000 supporters
October 25, 2017
April 4, 2015
The petition has reached the one hundred signature milestone. This initial support confirms that the physical toll on sonographers is a concern felt across the entire profession.
Reached 100 supporters
April 1, 2015
March 30, 2015
The signature count is nearing our first major milestone as more professionals recognize the necessity of regulated scan volumes. We require a final momentum shift to reach this goal before we present our formal request for standardized staffing ratios.
762 Comments
As someone who worked for an employer that seriously abused its sonographers, I can say with certainty it is far past due for ARDMS to release a standard which lays out how many exams are acceptable and safe for a technologist to do in a single work day.
Scanning Ob/Gyn patients for about 15 years.No ergonomic furniture- this is a really an issue, I have to stand most of the time during scanning, no back, elbow support. Right side pain- neck, shoulder, arm, wrist...Love what I do but it’s getting difficult now.
I fully support this and hope that something is done to limit the number of scans to prevent injury. The human arm is not designed to be used as a lever applying pressure for 30 minutes or more per scan. There should be limits to prevent permanent damage.
This definitely needs to be addressed. After 12 years in the field I am starting to experience unavoidable pain on a daily basis due to the demand of scanning the ever increasing body habitus of our patients and the increased exams performed daily.
Please protect us! I am in so much pain after 40 years of scanning but if I complained I was lazy. I was usually the only tech at my job and I refused at 30 in one day. I felt bad but I couldn’t do that many. I got dirty looks. Now I need shoulder surgery.
Yes
Have suffered it all after 37 years
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Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSD's) among Sonographers are being reported as high as 90% scanning in pain, due to the increasing demand and schedules not appropriately being regulated per shifts accordingly. Ultrasound is a safe and cheaper modality, therefore increased numbers of exams per Sonographer, are being pushed and implemented without any regard to the Sonographer's health and well being, this includes Vascular Technologist and Echo Technologist on a daily basis, including an increased in portable exam being ordered. This puts a toll on the Sonographer's body and possibly ending their career due to suffering with pain, injuries and some with surgeries ending in disability, never to be able to scan again.
We need change and a call to action in our industry.We need a black-and- white tangible limit based ratio enforced and implemented into our daily schedules to prevent us from being injured, there needs to be a cap on the excessive amount of scans we do per shift by each sonographer to reduce the atrocious injuries we suffer , some ending their careers and going into disability which in turn it’s also costly to all. We need safe staffing ratios implemented in our daily schedules for the safety of our patients and Sonographers.
The most common injuries among sonographers are carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome, epicondylitis of the elbow, shoulder capsulitis and tendonitis, and neck and back strains.
WRMSD are preventing sonographers, physicians, and other medical professionals from providing critical care to millions of patients each day as well as limiting the careers and personal lives of these highly skilled clinicians. WRMSD cost employers $120 billion each year in direct and indirect costs.
Alternatively, WRMSDs are putting a strain on America’s health care system, limiting the careers of highly skilled clinicians, preventing them from leading productive lives and costing employers $120 billion each year in direct and indirect costs. Immediate action is needed to stop WRMSD.
.
This is a career that we chose to enter due to our love of helping others and our commitment to others' well being. To continue to perform to the best of our ability and give the emotional and medical support that our patients deserve and rightfully demand, we also need to consider the well being of the Sonographer.
Although making the decision to leave a career that we love is a difficult choice, we hear more and more of sonographers retiring early or changing careers due to work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) We want to see ratios implemented per shift just as nurses have so we may prevent injuries and maintain healthy and provide safety and quality care to our patients.
We feel, as medical professionals, that there needs to be more control over the number of patients that Sonographers and Vascular Technologists are expected to scan on a daily basis. Although we understand that this would not be a simple task of placing a number on a daily schedule, we also understand that unless this is addressed, the number of sonographers scanning in pain, retiring early and/or changing careers will continue to increase daily and is costing
As one of our biggest governing bodies, that help and educate us throughout our careers, we hope that we can reach out to you, and try to work on this process together. As individuals we would not have the resources to have any real chance of success, but together, we would have a realistic opportunity to make a change to the many dedicated medical professionals in this field. Together we can take a step towards decreasing and limiting the amount of Work Related injuries that we, unfortunately, have come to accept.
We thrive in helping others, we love what we do, we get great satisfaction out of helping others stay healthy, we are just asking for the opportunity to continue in our chosen career in a healthy and stable environment.
Please kindly take a few minutes to sign the petition. Thank you for your time.
Sonographers United
#Sonographersunitedforsafety #sonographerratios #sonographerergonomics #USSAFE #reducesonographerinjuries #stopwrmsd #sonographerstrong #sonographersunited
Updates
Reached 5,000 supporters
February 5, 2022
Reached 1,000 supporters
October 25, 2017
April 4, 2015
The petition has reached the one hundred signature milestone. This initial support confirms that the physical toll on sonographers is a concern felt across the entire profession.
Reached 100 supporters
April 1, 2015
March 30, 2015
The signature count is nearing our first major milestone as more professionals recognize the necessity of regulated scan volumes. We require a final momentum shift to reach this goal before we present our formal request for standardized staffing ratios.
762 Comments
This abuse of power needs to stop. Also getting called in all night without sleep and expected to work the next day is unacceptable as well. They need to have more around the clock access to ultrasound to avoid burn out and an unsafe environment for techs and patients
As someone who worked for an employer that seriously abused its sonographers, I can say with certainty it is far past due for ARDMS to release a standard which lays out how many exams are acceptable and safe for a technologist to do in a single work day.
Scanning Ob/Gyn patients for about 15 years.No ergonomic furniture- this is a really an issue, I have to stand most of the time during scanning, no back, elbow support. Right side pain- neck, shoulder, arm, wrist...Love what I do but it’s getting difficult now.
I fully support this and hope that something is done to limit the number of scans to prevent injury. The human arm is not designed to be used as a lever applying pressure for 30 minutes or more per scan. There should be limits to prevent permanent damage.
This definitely needs to be addressed. After 12 years in the field I am starting to experience unavoidable pain on a daily basis due to the demand of scanning the ever increasing body habitus of our patients and the increased exams performed daily.
Please protect us! I am in so much pain after 40 years of scanning but if I complained I was lazy. I was usually the only tech at my job and I refused at 30 in one day. I felt bad but I couldn’t do that many. I got dirty looks. Now I need shoulder surgery.
Yes
Have suffered it all after 37 years
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This abuse of power needs to stop. Also getting called in all night without sleep and expected to work the next day is unacceptable as well. They need to have more around the clock access to ultrasound to avoid burn out and an unsafe environment for techs and patients