Sonographer

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose:

To predominantly undertake a wide and comprehensive range of ultrasound examinations and be responsible for independent written reports on 95% of these. The range of clinical work will be general abdominal scanning which may include additional specialised areas such as small parts and vascular and Obstetrics and gynaecology scans.

The post holder will be expected to be autonomous in and develop their clinical practice

The post holder will provide supervision, support and education to qualified and unqualified staff

Dimensions:

Day to day supervision of assistants and trainees. Advise clerical staff on booking appointments

Other Key Relationships:

Senior and junior medical and radiographic staff, administration and clerical staff, other health care professionals and care providers, porters, patients and relatives, ultrasound maintenance engineers.

Risk Assessment:

This post involves working with display screen equipment, manual handling, exposure to body fluids and imparting bad news to patients/service users

Key Task

Clinical and Service Provision:

To work as an Advanced Practitioner (sonographer) undertaking a wide range of examinations demonstrating excellence in these to a high professional standard.

Provide specialist information by performing, interpreting and reporting examinations as per departmental protocols. Ensuring that reports are generated promptly, (based upon clinical history provided, information from the patient and scan the appearances) and that any urgent findings are acted upon in the patients best interest e.g. recorded into patients notes or verbally relayed to the referring clinician

Ensure that examination reports are made available on the Radiology Information System.

To be responsible for consulting with clinicians to ensure that appropriate follow up investigations are made.

To inform patients of their scan results when appropriate, imparting bad news eg foetal death/abnormality in a sensitive and empathetic way and to provide help and support to colleagues with respect to this.

To assess the patients physical and psychological suitability for transvaginal ultrasound before deciding to proceed with the examination.

To be responsible for the workflow within the area of work ensuring that clinical requests are acted upon as appropriate(ensuring that any urgent requests/examinations are flagged up and acted upon in the patient's best interest)and that a goodthroughput of patient examinations is achieved.

To be available to advise on the booking of appointments, advise on examination preparation and liaise with staff regarding emergency referrals and queries.

To assist and provide clinical support to other sonographers and other staff (e.g. midwife scanning clinics) with technical or other problems that may arise.

To work as a Radiographer to a high professional standard and to provide assistance and guidance to others, mainly to helpers, students and assistant practitioners in order to maintain these standards. This standard must be that set by the Directorate regarding quality and protocols.

Supervise and assist other appropriate personnel to perform their duties as and when required.

To care for the patients in the department especially in their ownarea of work. To communicate to patients any delays likely to affect them, and within the standards set by the HPC to describe examination findings, if appropriate.

Checking patients details prior to examination and ensuring that such details are present and correct on the request form/computer. (PAUSED and checked) Requests must be justified, as per departmental protocol and as per statutory regulations, Ionising Radiations (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IR(ME)R) and the radiographer must use their professional judgement to refuse inappropriate requests. To ensure that patients are not pregnant prior to certain procedures.

Ensuring that all images are properly identified with patients name, side examined, date of examination and coded if appropriate. To enter information of the examination into the Radiology Computer System.

Ensuring that, on completion of examination, the patient is informed how they will get their results and that they may leave and arrangements are made for transport if necessary.

Ensuring that radiation safety measures are being observed within the limits of the procedure being carried out and that his/her own standard of Radiation Protection is in accordance with the "Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999" , IR(ME)R 2000 and any other relevant legislation.

To be responsible for own workflow (including out of hours working and lone worker) within the designated area ensuring that clinical requests are acted upon as appropriate and that a good throughput of patient examinations is achieved.

Have a flexible attitude towards the hours of work and participate in work and duties as required relevant to the directorate. To participate in any out of hours rota already established or established in the future.

Maintain and ensure others maintain a safe, clean and tidy environment and that adequate stock are available within the ultrasound rooms.

To participate in management of waiting list by vetting examination requests in a timely and effective manner.

To take appropriate action to ensure the safety of patients, self and others, reporting any accidents/incidents to the Site Superintendent.

To attend service meetings as appropriate.

To maintain knowledge of technical and clinical developments within the field of the service and to be involved with such persons as appropriate in the implementation of such developments. To attend professional training/development courses as appropriate and providing feedback that would benefit or enhance the service.

To liaise with the Site Superintendent when appropriate.

Quality:

To participate in and promote Quality assurance within the department.

To undertake any required Quality Control on the equipment within that area.

To contribute to the development of protocols and quality standards for working practices within the ultrasound service.

To participate in Medical/Clinical Audit of examinations.

Finance, Information and Resources:

• To ensure the effective use of resources, liaising with the Site Superintendent in respect of this.

To liaise with the site superintendent in the requisitioning of consumables required.

To contribute to the formulation of patient information leaflets.

Professional Education and Training:

• To work independently as an advanced practitioner
• To contribute to andparticipate in SDR and work to achieve agreed set objectives.
• To be aware of personal professional development and to maintain a portfolio to show evidence of this.
• To participate in the training of others including placement and supervision of new staff/students and to contribute to staff training needs with regard to induction, orientation and continuous education of staff.

To maintain a professional attitude at all times, maintaining and developing the role of the profession in the spirit of the standards set down within the HPC Code of Conduct.

To be responsible for own registration with the HPC if practising radiography and to maintain and develop the role of the profession in accordance with the HPC Code of Conduct.

• To liaise with other disciplines in the Trust and to foster good communications within the department and the hospital.

Statutory and Health and Safety:

To ensure that all Trust, Unit and Directorate policies relating to Health and Safety, COSHH, Security and Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999, IR(ME)R 2000 and any other Local Radiation Safety policies are understood and observed in the department. To attend compulsory training as instructed.

Ensure that all apparatus and equipment is working satisfactorily and safely and that any malfunction is reported to the Site lead.

Any unreasonable delay in repair is brought to the attention of the Site lead.

Any fault occurring on equipment is entered into the relevant logbook.

Assist the Site Superintendent in keeping appropriate documentation for equipment within the area.

Infection Control

Accept personal responsibility and accountability for your infection prevention and control practice

Ensure that you are familiar with, and comply with, all relevant policies

Ensure that you receive mandatory updates in infection control

Other:

Any other Ad Hoc duties that may be required.

Standard Clauses:

The purpose of this post should remain constant, but the duties and responsibilities may vary over time within the overall role and level of the post. The post holder may from time to time be asked to undertake other reasonable duties. Any such changes will be made in discussion with the post holder in the light of service needs.

Person Specification

Skills

Desirable

• A UK driving licence would be desirable as this post will involve travelling between county sites on a regular basis.

Qualifications

Essential

• Post graduate Certificate/ Diploma in Medical Ultrasound OR BSc in Medical Ultrasound.

Desirable

• Teaching experience.
• State registration with the Health and care professions Council.
• Diploma of the College of Radiographers or degree accepted for registration with the HCPC or similar regulatory body (NMC)

Experience

Essential

• Recent experience undertaking and independently reporting a wide range of ultrasound examinations including obstetric, gynae and/or general ultrasound
• Recent experience working in NHS as a practicing sonographer

Desirable

• Teaching experience
• Vascular ultrasound (Lower limb and or upper limb DVT)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD

Employer's website

https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)