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 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