Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs)

I am one of the many that work through the pain daily.

All sonographers need a safe work environment and guidelines for providers to follow. The industry needs these guidelines to protect the sonographers health and well being. Thyroid is not a STAT for a sore throat

I am 26 years old and have been a working sonographer since December 2013. In the past few months, I have found myself visiting a chiropractor weekly for low back pain, neck and shoulder pain, and a misasligned cervical spine. I am only 26 years old and am in pain every day. I work at a pediatric hospital in Pittsburgh and our workload is more than demanding physically and mentally. We scan screaming and crying kids every day, and our only option is to work through the difficult situations and basically scan a moving target. Yes, we try to use proper body mechanics, but when scanning moving Target, it is close to impossible. I really hope this petition makes a positive impact for sonographers, because I do not wish for anyone to feel the way that I do daily while scanning. I have a long career ahead of me and wish that I may continue without any pain so that I can serve my patients to the best medical care that they rightfully deserve.

I have become completely disabled due to shoulder injuries caused from scanning to many exams in a shift. There needs to be a clear protocol ALL places of employment follow in how many exams in a shift, and also mandatory hours of rest between shifts. Being on call, getting called in multiple times during the night & being expected to work 1st shift following(or same)morning is dangerous to sonographers and their patients.

Working with shoulder and back pain on a daily basis due to understaffed conditions. 50 plus hours a week since March and usually no lunch. Love my job, but ready to walk out.

I have 3 buldging disks in my cervical spine from this career. Love my job but it has taken its toll after 27 years of scanning

Had i am a cardiac sonographer and ihave had on my shoulder 2 days ago, I went to employee health for the shoulder pain and they consider that is not work related. Work comp closed the case like degenerative shoulder injury.

I had to move to part time work to realize that full time demands we completely related to my pain. Even still, a long scan day causes me pain.

Sonographer with two bulging cervical discs and shoulder dyskinesia

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.

This change is absolutely critical for the future of Ultrasound. I live in pain daily. Insurance only covers so many pain injections not to mention that I don’t even have to say who I am when I call my Chiropractor. I see him more than I see my sister. :(

Standards being set for time limits on studies and mas studies per day, is something that has needed to be addressed for a very long time. Our voices need to be heard on these issues.

Suffer from shoulder problems/injury, neck strain, headaches almost every time I work now and it's starts after doing U/S exams, otherwise no problems.

Something needs to be done. So many of us are scanning in pain.

Ardms

I scan in pain, I love my job.

Safer working environment

ultrasound

I'm scanning 15 years with two injuries and surgeries so far. There needs to be a change in our industry to protect us. The data on work related injury in sonography speaks for itself. There are way too many of us ending careers early due to overloading our schedules and poor work environment.

I sign this petition because I’ve seen my coworkers become injured due to high BMI patients, overbooked schedule and overworked day to day. This is my livelihood. I love what I do. But I don’t want to do it in Pain.