Sonographer Lead

Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation • Saint Francis, WI

6d • Onsite

About The Position

This full-time Sonographer Lead position is within the Imaging Services department at Lakeshore St Francis Layton. The role involves acting as a resource and providing day-to-day work direction to employees and students, including training, orienting, and performance input. The Lead will monitor productivity, maintain staffing levels, and guide staff on complex issues. They will also assist with human resource responsibilities such as interviewing, staff development, and resolving employee concerns. The position requires interpreting and advising on department policies and procedures, identifying and facilitating performance improvement opportunities, and managing department resources including inventory and labor productivity. The Lead will serve as a technical resource and preceptor, collaborating with other departments to provide education on patient care post-procedures and other imaging processes. A key part of the role is proficiently operating ultrasound equipment to perform general, vascular, and/or cardiac procedures, reviewing patient records, selecting appropriate equipment, performing scans, identifying anatomy, and processing images. Responsibilities also include maintaining records, entering patient data into the radiology information system, documenting billing codes, identifying and resolving equipment issues, and performing quality assurance tests. The role involves patient positioning and transporting, requiring physical capabilities and adherence to age-specific care standards. The position requires demonstrated knowledge and skills for age-appropriate patient care, understanding growth and development across the lifespan, and assessing patient status based on age-specific needs.

Requirements

• Medical Sonographer (RDMS) registration with Abdomen issued by the American Registry of Diagnostic Med Sonography (ARDMS) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required
• Medical Sonographer (RDMS) registration with OB/GYN issued by the American Registry of Diagnostic Med Sonography (ARDMS) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required
• Vascular Technologist (RVT) registration issued by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, or Vascular Sonography (VS) registration issued by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, or Vascular Specialist (RVS) registration issued by the Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required
• Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS-AE) registration with Adult Echo issued by the ARDMS needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required, or Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) registration issued by the Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) needs to be obtained within 0 months unless department leader has determined it is not required
• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) needs to be obtained within 6 months.
• Advanced training beyond High School that includes the completion of an accredited or approved program in Sonography.
• Typically requires 5 years of experience in a sonographer role.
• Advanced knowledge in anatomy that includes vascular and/or cardiology.
• Proficiency in a minimum of two of the following: all abdomen procedures, including urology, pelvic/OB, carotid, superficial structures, portable imaging, and invasive procedures; all vascular procedures; and/or all cardiac procedures, OR proficiency in all general procedures along with two of the following specializations: breast, neurosonology, and/or fetal echocardiography.
• Advanced knowledge of aseptic techniques.
• Advanced knowledge of accreditation policies and procedures to assist in facilitation of departmental accreditation.
• Ability to act as a role model and to hold staff accountable to Aurora's service commitments.
• Demonstrated leadership skills such as delegation, team building, managing multiple priorities, problem solving, and decision making.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and patient service skills to work effectively with physicians, patients and other staff members.
• Ability to work independently.
• Intermediate computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Acts as a resource to employees and students, which includes training/orienting, providing day-to-day work direction, and giving input on performance.
• Assigns, monitors, and reviews progress and accuracy of work, monitors productivity, maintains appropriate staffing levels, directs efforts and provides guidance on more complex issues.
• Assists with human resource responsibilities, which may include interviewing and selection of new employees, staff development, providing performance feedback, resolution of employee concerns, and employee morale.
• Assists in interpreting department policies and procedures, and advises and updates staff on procedural changes.
• Identifies performance improvement opportunities within the department and facilitates change.
• Monitors inventory levels, labor productivity and assist with managing department resources.
• Serves as a technical resource, role model and/or preceptor for students and staff.
• Facilitates clinical problem solving and collaborates with other departments across the system to provide education on managing patients after procedures and any other imaging department processes and procedures.
• Proficiently operates ultrasound equipment to perform two of the following: general, vascular, and/or cardiac procedures/studies.
• Reviews patient's medical record to obtain necessary clinical information including patient history, lab results, and physician orders, obtains necessary clinical information from patients, and compares requisitions to physicians' orders to ensure exam accuracy.
• Selects proper transducer and technical factors for accurate ultrasound procedures.
• Performs scans of various anatomical areas.
• Identifies cross-sectional human anatomy, distinguishing normal from abnormal, to establish initial evaluation of sonograms.
• Post-processes images as directed and accurately identifies and labels images identifying patient name, medical record unit (MRU) number, and location or position of scan on all images.
• Oversees the maintenance of records in accordance with various regulatory agencies and enters patient and study information into the radiology information system, and documents billing codes of procedures performed to ensure accurate patient charges.
• Identifies equipment performance issues and ensures and/or performs equipment quality assurance tests and calibration procedures.
• Reports malfunctioning equipment to appropriate staff and evaluates new products and equipment.
• Performs various patient positioning and transporting duties, which require lifting and pushing/pulling, while utilizing proper technique.
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served.
• Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off programs
• medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
• adoption assistance and paid parental leave
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
• Educational Assistance Program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree