Prenatal Sonography Technician Career Guide

Overview

Advancement in almost every part of the health care industry has shown positive change in terms of introducing new methods of diagnosis and treatment. A physician is unable to help patients without proper a diagnosis and to do so certain equipment or machines are required. Prenatal sonography technicians are professionals who are trained through education and experience to monitor pregnancy stages. It is proven to be a safe and cost effective procedure which is used as an indispensible instrument in order to record the critical stages of pregnancy. It is important to use the equipment responsibly, and an ultrasound should be done keeping in mind all the precautions. Such expertise could only be gained if one decides to understand the basics of ultrasound along with training.

Job Duties

Ultrasound machines emit high frequency waves from a transducer which is placed on a pregnant woman’s abdomen. These waves produce certain images that can be viewed through a monitor. Prenatal sonography technicians use these images to study the growth of a fetus and further examine it for any possible abnormalities. It monitors the heat rate of a fetus and closely examines for any malformations. It allows experts to compute the gestational age and the size of the fetus. It is a thorough examination of the female reproductive system along with the developing fetus.

Prenatal sonography technicians have to make sure the the pregnancy is proceeding normally. They study images and incorporate their remarks on the basis of results. These remarks are then sent to the gynecologists who further plan a treatment if there is any abnormality seen.

Career Outlook

This field has shown accelerating growth in recent years because of increasing awareness among pregnant mothers and caretakers. Prenatal sonography technicians make pregnant women get comfortable for ultrasounds and help them through the process. These technicians work in private physicians’ offices, obstetrics or gynecology offices and hospitals. Most of their time on duty is spent standing on their feet to check multiple patients; therefore, one should have enough stamina to fulfill job responsibilities.  Till the year 2016, the projected growth ratio is 19% as estimated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov).

Salary

Their expertise has assisted thousands of mothers and for these services they might earn approximately $120,000 per year (indeed.com).

Educational Requirements

One year certification is offered to interested candidates but employers mostly require professionals with a 2 years associate degree program or a 4 years of bachelor’s degree. During the program, you might be taught physiology, anatomy, medical terminology, and medical ethics. You might also receive training on a daily or weekly basis.

$_SESSION['title'] = "Accredited Degree Programs";
$_SESSION['campusType'] = "BOTH";
$_SESSION['areaOfInterest'] = "SONOGRAPHY-ULTRASOUND-TECHNOLOGY";
$_SESSION['degreeOfInterest'] = "";