A day in the life of an advanced practitioner in ultrasound

Today we hear from Kerry, an advanced practitioner in ultrasound at Practice Plus Group Diagnostics, Buckinghamshire.

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“I have worked for Practice Plus Group for almost six years, firstly in a bank role, and now as a permanent member of staff. I qualified as a radiographer in 2001 and worked in a busy NHS trust for 18 months. I was then given the opportunity to study for an ultrasound qualification.

“The role of a sonographer is slightly different to that of most radiographers. It is our responsibility not only to perform the scan, but also to review the images and write a report for the clinicians based on our findings. As a newly qualified radiographer the responsibility and autonomy of an ultrasound practitioner had always appealed.

“On a typical day I may scan more than 20 patients. Although on the face of it our workload may seem repetitive – with lots of abdominal and gynaecological procedures however, every scan is different. I love the challenge of trying to find out what is happening inside each patient – it’s like being a detective!

“Our referrers are mainly GPs, so the patients are generally mobile and reasonably well. I love the variety of patients that see us and there’s never a dull moment. There is also an administrative side to my role. The most important aspect is the production of a clinical reports.

“The diagnostics team at Practice Plus Group Diagnostics, Buckinghamshire is small in comparison to some departments I’ve worked in. However, I feel we have some very experienced, skilled and professional members of the team and I’m always extremely proud of the service we offer our patients.”