Western Health’s team of sonographers play a critical role in the diagnosis of a wide range of health
concerns, using ultrasound technology.
Today, on Australasian Sonographers’
Day, meet one of the people behind the ultrasound machine, Nathan Pham.
Nathan prides himself on the crucial role he plays in getting patients on their
healing journey.
“Even though I am not doing the actual treatment, we are there for a diagnosis
that will lead to the treatment. We play a huge role in alleviating the anxiety
that comes with seeking medical treatment and the relief a patient feels when
they take a step towards solving their problem,” he said.
With a passion for obstetrics, Nathan says a sonographers’ role is so much more
than performing ultrasounds.
“We’re not just taking the scans, we are narrators. We are interpreting what we
see and telling the story for our patients.
"We want the process to be as
enjoyable as possible for the parents to be. But it’s not always good news."
At Joan Kirner Women and Children’s (JKWC) at Sunshine Hospital it is the high risk patients who generally
walk through his doors. He is there for the highs, but also for the lows.
“Often we will find something wrong with the baby, and we then have to break
this bad news. We talk the parents or family through it and then support them
towards the next step which sometimes involves counselling to make difficult
decisions.”
While this is one of the hardest parts of the job, Nathan said the great team
at Sunshine Hospital share the load and support each other through the harder
parts of the job.
Thank you to the wonderful team of sonographers at Western
Health for the amazing work you do!
