Interesting subject.  We have been trying to cross-train Vascular and General
Ultrasound techs for about 2 years now.  The first 2 we cross-trained left to
work somewhere else, since they were much more marketable.  We still have
three who have been cross-trained which works out very nicely since we have a
satellite where one tech takes care of all the vascular/ultrasound
inpatients.  It has been hard to get the buy in from the techs on either
side.  People are very committed to what they originally learned.  My opinion
is that it works and makes sense, especially in a smaller lab/hospital.  A
slight variation of this is combining vascular and echo.  We may be looking
at this in the future.
Shelly Burns
Summa Health System
Akron, Ohio