Sonographers – Are We Looking After Ourselves?

Abstract

Aim: Echocardiography is a mainstay of cardiac imaging. It is accessible, comprehensive and cost-effective. However, it is also recognised that this investigation is responsible for an increased risk of injury and discomfort to sonographers. There are guidelines for reducing sonographer injuries. We set out to investigate how closely sonographers adhered to these guidelines, in particular individual controls, across Australia and New Zealand. Method: Following ethics approval, a confidential electronic survey was widely distributed through professional networks across Australia and New Zealand. Sonographers responded to questions relating to “individual controls”, as published in multiple guidelines for sonographer safety. Results: 1494 sonographers completed the survey, 97% were based in Australia and New Zealand. We found that some recommendations were followed by the vast majority of sonographers, such as optimizing the patient's position (93%) and optimizing bed/stool height (90%). 77% of sonographers claim to maintain a good level of fitness; however, only 37% stretch on a daily basis. Conclusion: Some recommendations for sonographer injury prevention have been thoroughly embraced by sonographers in Australia and New Zealand. However, there is still room for improvement. Considering that sonography is a high-risk profession, it is important for staff to be aware of these recommendations and take them on board. These individual controls can be utilized by sonographers regardless of their workplace. Table 1P31 Table 1Sonographer adherence to safety recommendations for individual controls.