Cardiac Sonography Careers in Minnesota – MN

By Susan Maphis, allied health world contributing writer
Published: August, 2 2010

Are you organized and able to work well independently? Do you have good communication and “people” skills? Are you able to accurately document patient information? If so, you should consider investigating the position of cardiac sonographer. Also known as an echocardiographer, cardiac sonographers use ultrasound to assess the anatomy of the heart and blood vessels. The average cardiac sonographer performs about six echocardiographs per day. In addition, you will be taking patient blood pressure, reviewing a patient’s history, performing the echocardiograph, and presenting your findings to the physician in charge of the patient’s care.

In addition to training, all cardiac sonographer jobs in Minnesota require national certification. Following the average two-year training program, plus training in basic life support and CPR, the state of Minnesota requires that you become certified through one of two certification bodies: CCI, also known as Cardiovascular Credentialing International; and ARDMS, the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. These credentials prove to employers in Minnesota that you have the necessary training and skills to perform the position of cardiac sonographer. Once certified, you will be expected to fulfill continuing education requirements to keep your registration up-to-date and to be aware of the latest developments in cardiac sonography.