The main research question of this thesis can be formulated as follows:
What are the communicative trajectories of foetal wellbeing assessments using expert ultrasound technology during routine antenatal encounters between sonographers and pregnant women?
This can be subdivided further as follows:
1. What are the features of sonographers’ communication during the first stage/booking encounter (first trimester) and the normality scan encounter (second trimester) in terms of structural, interactional and thematic organisation (see Chapter 4)?
2. What communicative strategies do sonographers draw upon to offer reassurance to pregnant women during the first stage/booking encounter (see Chapter 5)?
3. How are reassurances of normal foetal features communicated by sonographers to pregnant women during the 20-week gestation stage (see Chapter 6)?
4. How do sonographers provide explanations about risk and uncertainty and respond to questions raised by pregnant women during the ultrasound scan encounters (see Chapter 7)?1.4 Overview of chapters
The rest of this chapter provides an outline (context and scene setting) of the research area that is followed by a background of the U.K. maternity care provision. The literature looks at the experiences of pregnant women, the advancements in ultrasound technology and the professional role of sonographers.
Chapter 2 will draw on the sociological notions of normality, risk, uncertainty and reassurance within biomedicine. I argue that a societal emphasis on foetal development and a healthy baby have embraced the medicalisation of pregnancy using technological advancements. These prenatal screening processes have opened differing opinions relating to ‘quality control’, authoritativ...
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...nd 9 include two entire case studies, which are contrastive to demonstrate the strategic approach used by the sonographer to give information about a scan finding, are shown. In chapter 9, a shorter extract from a 3/4D video-recorded ultrasound scan encounter will show a pregnant woman raising a specific topic, thereby voicing her concerns and seeking reassurance. The case studies include non-verbal elements noted during the scan as the pregnant woman views the image of her foetus and closely follows the sonographer’s comments about the image.
Chapter 10 draws conclusions and summarises the main analytical findings of this study, its limitations and future directions for research. The research questions are considered systematically in order to explain how sonographers provide information to reassure parents about foetal wellbeing, normality and abnormality.
Saunders (2012) states that the treatment of a breech delivery requires the paramedic team to work simultaneously and efficiently to perform several interventions. He states that the paramedic team should undertake a primary survey and introduce themselves to the patient on arrival. From the initial patient contact, the paramedics should begin providing reassurance to the patient and their family, both verbally and non-verbally (Saunders, 2012). Reassurance aims to reduce patient anxiety, create a rapport with the patient and encourage an environment of care, respect and understanding (Pincus et al., 2013). The paramedic team should complete a secondary survey, including vital signs and a complete patient history, particularly pregnancy relevant
Diagnostic medical sonography is a profession where sonographers direct high-frequency sound waves into a patient’s body through the use of specific equipment to diagnose or monitor a patient’s medical condition. As described by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this examination is referred to as an ultrasound, sonogram, or echocardiogram. The high-frequency sound waves emitted from the handheld device, called a transducer, bounce back creating an echo and therefore produce an image that can be viewed on the sonographers computer screen. This image provides the sonographer and physician with an internal image of the patient’s body that will be used in the diagnosis. The most familiar use of ultrasound is used in monitoring pregnancies and is provided by obstetric and gynecologic sonographers, who also provide imaging of the female reproductive system. Other types of sonography include; abdominal sonography, breast sonography, musculoskeletal sonography, neurosonography and cardiovascular sonography. Due to the vast nature of uses in sonography, most professionals study one field that they choose to specialize in. Diagnostic medical sonography is a rapidly growing field because of the increase in medical advances. The area of Cleveland, Ohio has continued to rise in the medical field with great strides, providing better career prospects with the availability of numerous employment positions.
This birthing plan is often documented in the patient’s medical record which aids the health care staff during the birthing event. Documentation and discussion of these events is often necessary to ensure all the needs of the family are met. Too often all the potential needs are not discussed and the opportunity to meet the needs of the new family is missed. These missed opportunities can result in emotional and religious conflicts within the family unit and toward the health care staff. For the nurse leader these missed opportunities in care could result in unfavorable patient satisfaction scores and reports within and outside the institution which necessitates follow up. The most important missed opportunity is how this affects the family unit itself. Depending on the missed opportunity the family unit may be affected for years based on questions not asked or decisions made with poor information. Some cultures must bury the placenta after birth and if this was not discussed and the placenta discarded the religious implications could be devastating for this family. Application of Henderson’s need theory guides the nurse in the educational plan for the patient-family unit to ensure all basic needs are covered and questions related to those needs are posed in advanced of the birthing
At Wildcat Hospital, I performed my first newborn assessment on a baby. I walked into the postpartum room and greeted the mother and family and asked if I could (along with another student) perform and assessment on the baby for the second time. This assessment was different from the initial assessment I performed four hours previously, because the second time around I had more control of the assessment. I listened to the heart, lungs, and stomach. I assessed the newborn’s respirations, reflexes and temperature. After our assessment was over, I was able to swaddle the baby back up and hand the infant back into the arms of an excited new mother.
In my previous role as a Licensed vocational nurse, I worked in the outpatient setting, Perinatology, where there are high-risk pregnant patients. The patient I helped take care of, was early in her pregnancy, approximately 29 weeks, and was a patient who had been seen in this clinical office
The current demand is high for sonographers throughout the United States and abroad. It has been shown that the demand for sonographers will continue to increase well into the future. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment in the field of Medical Sonography is predicted to grow 45.5% between 2010 and 2020. The growth is among the fastest rates in all healthcare jobs. As a result, as the demand grows for sonographers, so will the salaries (BLS). The attractive salaries and flexible work hours, as well as the diversity of options available and the lack of geographical limitations on employment opportunities, make Ultrasound an attractive career field (BLS). Most employers prefer to hire diagnostic imaging workers with professional certification. Also many insurance providers and Medicare pay for procedures, but only if certified. According to the BLS, Medical Sonography is on its list of the best jobs of 2013. Medical Sonographers can get promoted by certifying in more than one area in ultrasound or having more work of experience being promoted to a supervisor. Anywhere you go this job has a high demand and a fast rate. Due to population hospitals, facilities, or offices will always need medical
There has been an increased demand for diagnostic sonography as new technology arises. The development of sonography as a career is likely to increase with many employment openings around the word. Training is offered by hospitals, colleges and schools. Most employers favor job applicants who have completed formal training program at college or university, particularly for the ones who have no related experience working in healthcare (Study 2016). To practice, diagnostic medical sonography a two-year associate degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree is required (Summary). Coursework for the program includes physics, anatomy and physiology. In addition to the need skills, a sonographer needs technical skills operating the equipment, interpersonal skills for communicating and interacting with people, and manual dexterity skills of good-eye-hand coordination to move equipment on patient’s body in response to what they see on the screen to get quality images (GuidesInfographicsBlog). Employment in the field of diagnostic medical sonography is expected to grow approximately 26 percent throughout the years (Summary). This is a rate that is faster than the average of all occupations in the United States. The annual median wage for diagnostic medical sonography is 64,380 per year. The most reduce ten percent earned is less than $44,900 and most elevated ten percent earned more than $88,940
During the endoscopy procedure to determine the stage of her cancer, she said it was the sonographer who made her feel calm and treated her with dignity. Even though the ultrasound tech did not understand her language, it did not stop her from showing compassion to her patient. So it was that great care and sense of compassion that made me greatly appreciate what sonographers do for their patients. This is a field that is constantly changing and there are always ways to improve. There is always new technologies coming out and ways to improve as person that will help you deliver the best care for your patients. Seeing the important role that sonographers play in the medical field made me realize that becoming a sonographer would be fulfilling profession for me that would absolutely fit my
Being able to identify lumps, swelling, tissue damage, cysts, and the overwhelming news of the sex of a baby all have something in common, an ultrasound. Swelling of the spleen, kidney stones, blood clots, aneurysms, cancer and so much more can be identified through the works of an ultrasound’s imaging technique. Ultrasound involves many concepts, procedures, and careers. The amount of medical possibilities involved with ultrasounds is useful in major medical diagnostics. The field of ultrasounds and career opportunities are widely growing. As medical careers flourish, needs for technicians in many fields of medicine are increasing. Instead of a doctor choosing complex and risky surgery to find out problems within the body, they can now choose a safer path; the ultrasound path. Patient’s history and physical evaluation are building blocks to diagnostics but ultrasounds are much greater. They are powerful tools used to see beyond the skin into the depths of a person’s body. What ultrasounds are, what types there are, and what they are used for, and the education and careers available are the major themes found in research on the subject. Knowledge of ultrasound and its background may help one decide what career is best for them. Understanding the wide array of diagnostic tests and their uses are essential to figuring out what a career as a sonographer entails and the type of education that is needed. Because there are plenty of possibilities for specializing with different technologies, there is a wide variety of job opportunities in the medical imaging career. The call for ultrasound’s assistance opens new paths in future high-quality careers.
Ultrasound Technicians are very valuable in the world of health care. Also known as Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, an Ultrasound Technician uses special machines and equipment that operates on sound waves to determine or diagnose medical problems for patients. There are specializations within this field in which some individuals explore. For instance, areas of specialization includes but not limited to; pregnancy, heart health, gynecology, and abdominal sonography. Although each specializing branch has its own distinctive function, they all involve probing the body to facilitate doctors with diagnoses.
Qualitative research is regarded as an inductive process, which within natural settings attempts to produce insights on the subjective experiences, meanings, practices and point of views of those involved (Craig & Smyth, 2007). The aim here was to investigate factors influencing the communication styles used by the radiographers, therefore, allowing a better understanding to patient-centred care within diagnostic radiography.
... used a broad and a variety of literature review but looking on the reference list some of the literature is ten or more than ten years old which in this case cannot give enough support to the study, however Booth (2007) explain the factors that might affect communication in radiography and she gives some suggestion of how this problems might be solved. She does discuss the study clinical relevance and recommendation for further studies is stated. Overall the study can be categorised as a good qualitative study with a few pitfalls and also researcher is well informed and organised in conducting a qualitative study, the present article has a little value in radiography and probably further studies in this matter can give different results in relation to radiographer’s communication with the patients. The actual findings are not applicable to Evidence Based Practice.
A neonatologist has many tasks and responsibilities before, during, and after the birth of an at-risk newborn. If there is reason to believe there are going to be complications with a birth that would cause negative side effects for the infant, a neonatologist will be brought in to help. In these high-risk situations, a team effort is required and the neonatologist takes the lead position. The neonatologist will be responsible for advising the parents on what to expect during and after labor. After the infant is born, the neonatologist has to find a method to properly care for the baby. Because most premature babies have a low birth-weight, their lungs need to be supported and they need to be kept warm. During this whole process, the neonatologist interacts with the parents to keep them updated on their baby’s condition (Weaver, 2009).
The pregnant trauma patient presents a unique challenge because care must be provided for two patients, the mother and the fetus. It is vital that the nurse know and understand the anatomical and physiological changes that occur during pregnancy. She must be aware of these changes, and how they can mask or mimic injury, and very importantly that fetal distress or loss can occur even when the mother has incurred no abdominal injuries.
When the baby is admitted to the NICU, the mother is unable to have the usual bonding moments where she holds and comforts her newborn. Rather, when visiting with her child, she is required to take endless precautions, has limited time to be with her baby, and must see her little child connected to many machines helping to keep the baby stable (Shanmugam & Ramachandra, 2015). In their study, Shanmugam and Ramachandra (2015) questioned 100 mothers of neonates in the NICU, and recorded the correlation between their stress level and coping strategies. They found that 38 of the mothers had severe stress, 28 had moderate stress, and the remaining had mild stress. Of these women, 25% had good coping, 50% had moderate coping, and 25% had poor coping. A large finding from this study was that nurses and health care providers played a very big role in helping to reduce the stress levels of the mothers by talking with them and listening to their concerns, while also providing adequate care for their children. If the mother is using negative coping strategies, such as holding in all of her concerns and filling her mind with the thoughts of death, financial issues, and fear of the unknown, she is going to cause her body great harm (Shanmugam & Ramachandra,