Critical Thinking

Question 1

What is critical thinking?

Answer 1

Reasonable, reflective thinking that focuses on evaluating one’s own thought process in order to make judgements and improve one’s own decision making abilities.

Question 2

Why is critical thinking an important skill for a sonographer to have?

Answer 2

• Radiologists rely on our critical thinking to make their diagnosis
• Our thought processes greatly affect the lives of the patients because we are the ones searching for pathology to find a diagnosis.

Question 3

What is intuition?

Answer 3

• Subjective
• subconscious decision making

Ex. Finding perfect UT window

Question 4

What is inductive reasoning?

Answer 4

Bottom up strategy

Seeking a general pattern that relates to facts provided

(Observations to draw conclusion but conclusions ARE NOT proven)

Question 5

What is deductive reasoning?

Answer 5

Top down strategy

Conclusions are certain provided observations are true

Question 6

What is the IMAGE mmneumonic?

Answer 6

I - Investigate history
M - Make hypothesis 
A - Analyze w/ sonography 
G - Gather all findings
E - Evaluate for connections

Question 7

What is an absolute containdication?

Answer 7

A situation that makes a treatment/procedure absolutely inadvisable

Transvaginal UT on child

Question 8

What is a relative contradiction?

Answer 8

A contradiction that makes a treatment/procedure possibly inadvisable

Patient w/renal disease filling their bladder for exam

Question 9

What are the 5 concepts for Investigating history?

Answer 9

1. Verify patient identity
2. Patient history taking
3. Verify requested procedure correlates w/ patients clinical history (right patient, right exam)
4. Evaluate patient prep
5. Evaluate for contradictions to procedure

Question 10

What is Make Hypothesis?

Answer 10

By the Sonographer having several different hypotheses on the indications for the examination it allows the Sonographer to think about what they may find scanning the patient and the sonographic findings associated with the hypothesized differential diagnosis.

Question 11

What is analyze with sonography?

Answer 11

By the Sonographer thoroughly interrogating and imaging the organs of interest whilst keeping in mind the hypotheses made from the patient history the Sonographer can focus on finding pathology/abnormalities and make modifications to the examination as required.

Question 12

What is Gather all sonographic findings?

Answer 12

Focus on relevant abnormal

After the Sonographer as completed the examination, the Sonographer must gather all the sonographic findings, patient history and clinical information and record the information in the technical impression sheet.
This ensures that documentation after the examination is timely, accurate, concise and complete.

Question 13

What is a technical impressions sheet?

Answer 13

• Technical Impression Sheet
◦ Measurements of organs and pathology are
recorded ◦ Normal vs. Abnormal ◦ Correct Patient Identification on the impression
sheet ◦ Sonographer name is recorded ◦ Proper ultrasound terminology is used
consistently and correctly

Question 14

What is Evaluate for Connections?

Answer 14

Create potential diagnosis by looking at links between patient history and songraphic findings

Question 15

What do you use IMAGE?

Answer 15

Each and every exam (it’s critical thinking)

Provides high quality care and safety

Question 16

What are examples of urgent findings?

Answer 16

Examples:
◦ Ectopic Pregnancies, Testicular Torsion, Ovarian Torsion,
Aneurysms, Abnormal Biophysical Profiles, Thrombus, Dissection, Fetal Demise.

Must be brought to physician radiologist Immediatley