- Winter 2004 -

Keeping Sonographers Healthy on the Job

A 1999 survey of diagnostic medical sonographers found that more than 80% are scanning in pain on a daily basis, and 20% eventually experience a career-ending injury.

The increasing loss of sonographers due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders exacerbates the existing shortage of sonographers and decreases patient access to this important service.

For this reason, a range of groups involved in the profession convened in May by the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography worked to develop the new “Industry Standards for the Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Sonography.”

These standards are intended to assist all employees, employers, educators and equipment manufacturers in making informed decisions and improve the well being of sonographers and sonologists.

To read the standards, go to www.sdorg/pdf/wrmsd2003.pdf.