Flownetters,

Regarding some suggestions that vascular techs should not be doing any other
kind of ultrasound because they wouldn't be proficient in either, I have to
say that Vascular and Echocardiography certainly go together if any do. It's
the same system, Cardiovascular, I think they go hand in hand. The anatomy
is different, but the hemodynamics, pressure relationships, and physics are
really in one arena. I wouldn't want to do just one or the other.  We do the
basic echo, upper and lower venous and arterial, and carotids, and
personally I find the variety stimulating. Of course I also don't do all of
the different vascular procedures that some of you do. Maybe if I did TCD,
renal doppler, access grafts, and temporal arteries, in addition to the
others then I wouldn't have time for echo's. To get your registry in both
you have to show proficiency in both. How about all the abdominal techs who
do OB/GYN? They always have and they always will, they go hand in hand as
well. I don't agree with doing echo, vascular, abdominal and ob/gyn. It's
probably not possible to be proficient in all of those.

And in a day of consolidation, we are forced to do more than one branch of
ultrasound just to get a job. There is something to say about marketablity.

As far as Vascular being in a Radiology Dept. I vote no. Vascular belongs
with vascular surgeons.

Will


-----Original Message-----
From: UVM Flownet [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Cindy
Roszel
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 1999 8:51 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Combined services


Flownetters,

I've gotta jump in here and say that I have recently hired 2 graduates of an
AS degree CPT program (SFCC in Gainesville FL). These students were taught
Echo and Vascular with equal amounts of hands on and didactic in each
specialty.  Both of them are very talented Technologists and have caught on
very quickly to our routine and our protocols.

My point is, there are ways to obtain proficiency in multiple specialties.
These recent graduates have knowledge of both cardiology and vascular
surgery, but this is because of the intensive training they had in school.
Yes, they are probably from the top of their class, but I would not have
hired them if I did not know the level of education they had.

Todays educators may be answering a trend they see in the medical arena, we
need to do more with less without a loss of quality.  As long as the
hospital maintains its own standard of excellence and quality, there will be
more of a need for "cross-trained" ultrasound specialists.  Cardiovascular
is a natural union of services, but it takes an open mind and  a smart
student to achieve excellence in both.


Cindy Roszel  RDCS, RVT
Melbourne, FL
Coordinator, Echo Vascular Services
Holmes Regional Medical Center
Palm Bay Community Hospital