Role of the Provider and Scope of Practice
Role of the Provider and Scope of Practice
A host of allied health professionals are practitioners who deliver predominantly interventions and therapeutic services in various settings that include hospitals, clinics, and educational centers. Allied health professionals have a diverse scope of practice based on their specialties and training, and are at the core of inter-professional collaboration (Allied Health Community, n.d). The purpose of this paper is to define the scope of practice for allied health professionals by comparing the professional roles and responsibilities of a surgical technician and a sonographer based on their education and training. The paper also explores and discusses the importance of patient-centered care in inter-professional teams.
Professional Responsibilities of Surgical Technician and Sonographer
Surgical technicians, also called scrub technicians or surgical technologists, help in surgical procedures under the direct supervision of healthcare providers like surgeons, registered nurses, and other surgical personnel, such as anesthetists. Their professional roles include preparing operating rooms or theaters for surgical procedures, sterilization of equipment, ensuring adequate supplies for surgeries, and assisting during surgical procedures by handing instruments and tools to operating surgeons (Allied Health Community, n.d). They also assess patient needs before and after surgical processes, and monitor patients’ conditions within the operating room. Education skills required in the role include a minimum of an associate degree, and additional training to understand the surgical processes and tools, as well as the ability to work under pressure. Surgical technicians can work mainly in hospitals.
A sonographer or ultrasound technician is a healthcare professional whose specialty is operating ultrasonic imaging devices to produce diagnostic images, scans, and video aimed at assessing and giving diagnostic outcomes for an array of medical conditions. The professional responsibilities of sonographers include preparation of patients for procedures by elaborating the process and expected outcomes, operating and maintaining diagnostic equipment like ultrasound and X-ray machines, among others, and analysis of diagnostic images to provide preliminary findings to doctors and other specialists. Educational skills required for this role include a minimum of an associate degree, certification qualification, and robust technical abilities to operate complex equipment (Chalmers et al., 2023). They also need soft skills that include empathy and communication for effective interaction with patients. Sonographers should also be socially perceptive through active learning and listening, reading, and writing skills. Sonographers can work in various health settings that include hospitals, physicians’ offices, and diagnostic laboratories.
Scope of Practice Definition in Allied Health Context
Scope of practice refers to the activities and procedures that members of a certain profession can legally practice based on their education, training, and alignment with set regulatory frameworks. The scope of practice defines and outlines the permitted legal duties, roles, and responsibilities for allied health professionals (Downie et al., 2023). State laws define and govern the scope of practice for all health professionals, including allied health professionals. In most cases, an allied health professional’s scope of practice depends on their education, experience, and state laws, as well as professional associations’ guidelines. In this case, the scope of practice for a surgical technician entails preparing for surgeries, assisting and maintaining a sterile environment and tools for successful and infection-free surgical procedures, and assessing patient needs before, during, and after surgery.
For sonographers, the scope of practice entails performing and analyzing diagnostic procedures to produce reports. As diagnostic professionals, they help patients get answers to commence treatment and enhance their conditions (Allied Health Community, n.d). As such, the scope of practice for both allied providers differs based on their roles in healthcare settings. For instance, sonographers work with diagnostic equipment to diagnose patients’ conditions, while surgical technicians mainly work in operating rooms during surgical processes and interventions.
Patient-Centered Care by Allied Health Providers
Surgical technicians and sonographers are core members of an inter-professional collaboration team that aims at providing patient-centered care. For instance, surgical technicians leverage their background, education, skills, and healthcare experience to promptly offer individualized diagnostic outcomes for patients with diverse conditions. They are equipped to comfort patients in understanding their needs before, during, and after surgical procedures and monitor their recovery. Secondly, sonographers offer comfort and understanding for patients during diagnostic procedures to support them and address their concerns (Gantayet-Mathur et al., 2022). Therefore, both allied health providers utilize their unique skills, attributes, and education to provide patient-centered care and contribute to the overall success of all processes, from diagnostics to surgical interventions.
Conclusion
Allied health professionals have different roles and professional duties that make them unique components of inter-professional collaboration teams. As demonstrated, all allied health professional roles require training, education, and specialized skills, including soft skills to enhance collaboration with patients and members of the team. As such, surgical technicians and sonographers form a critical part of an inter-professional collaboration team to deliver quality health services to diverse patient populations.
References
Allied Health Community (n.d.). Allied Health – Profiles-Sonographer
https://lc.gcumedia.com/hlt307v/allied-health-community/profiles.html
Allied Health Community (n.d.). Allied Health-Profiles- Surgical Technician
https://lc.gcumedia.com/hlt307v/allied-health-community/profiles.html
Chalmers, S., Hill, J., Connell, L., Ackerley, S., Kulkarni, A., & Roddam, H. (2023). The value
of allied health professional research engagement on healthcare performance: a systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1): 766.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09555-9
Downie, S., Walsh, J., Kirk‐Brown, A., & Haines, T. P. (2023). How can scope of practice be
described and conceptualised in medical and health professions? A systematic review for
scoping and content analysis. The International journal of health planning and management, 38(5), 1184-1211. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.3678
Gantayet-Mathur, A., Chan, K., & Kalluri, M. (2022). Patient-centered care and inter-professional collaboration in medical resident education: where we stand and where we
need to go. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 9(1): 1-24.
DOI:10.1057/s41599-022-01221-5
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Assessment Traits
Requires Lopeswrite
Assessment Description
The purpose of this assignment is to define the scope of practice for allied health professionals and discuss the importance of patient-centered care.
Visit the Allied Health Community interactive learning media: http://lc.gcumedia.com/hlt307v/allied-health-community/allied-health-community-v1.1.html.
Read the profiles of each of the allied health providers and select two providers on which to base your assignment. Research the roles and scope of practice of both of the allied health providers you selected.
In a 500-750 word paper, address the following concepts:
- Describe the professional responsibilities of both allied health providers you selected and discuss their roles in delivering quality patient care. Include a discussion about the education and skills required in both professional roles, and describe the health care settings in which both providers may be found.
- Define “scope of practice” within an allied health context and discuss the scope of practice for both allied health providers you selected. How is the scope of practice for both providers different from each of their professional roles?
- Explain how both allied health providers can provide patient-centered care and how their background, education, skills, and health care experience contribute to delivering quality patient outcomes.
A minimum of three scholarly peer reviewed articles are required.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
