Sonographer

The ASA has pledged to pursue high standards within the practice of medical sonography, and has a structure of a board of directors and multiple representative branches in all Australian states and New Zealand.

[citation needed] The Health Insurance Commissison in association with the ASAR introduced in 2002 a program of accreditation and continuing professional education for sonographers.

The ASAR recognises registration with the Australian Orthoptic Board as appropriate accreditation for orthoptists to undertake sonography in relation to ocular structures.

This means that diagnostic sonography would become a self-regulated profession in Nova Scotia, along with radiography, nuclear medicine, magnetic resonance imaging, and radiation therapy.

[10] The occupational risk associated with performing sonography was reported as early as 1985,[11] but it wasn't until the mid-1990's those work-related injuries were widely recognized as a significant problem among sonographers that persists today.

[15][16] Injuries are often due to scanning in compromised positions, incorrect gripping of the transducer, spending too much time manipulating the transducer on technically difficult exams such as obese or large pregnant patients, and a lack of upper body fitness,[17][18] but injuries also result from various organizational, administrative, equipment and other factors that are outside of the sonographer's control.

[19][20] Implementation of ergonomic principles, including adjustments to equipment, to perform imaging tasks in low-strain postures is critical to reducing the risk of injury.

[27] These standards primarily focused on the ergonomic design of equipment and the responsibilities of employers and employees in addressing injury prevention.

[27] The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine has also released guidelines that extend these standards by describing imaging exam-specific recommendations and discussing the role of quality improvement practices by healthcare organizations.

[28] In 2019, an alliance of eight professional societies, credentialing bodies, and accreditation organizations in the United States came together to create the Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorder (WRMSD) Grand Challenge with a goal to stop WRMSDs resulting from the performance of diagnostic medical ultrasound.

This alliance has supported design challenges and the creation of a research registry of sonographers to monitor the status of work-related injuries in the profession, examine risk factors, and develop solutions to remediate the pervasive issue.