NEWPORT — North Country Hospital now has a certified Pediatric Ultrasound technologist on staff.
North Country Hospital Ultrasound Technologist, Bonnie Castonguay has earned a Pediatric Sonography specialty certification from the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). The ARDMS is the governing organization for Ultrasound Imaging in the United States and represents the highest standards for quality and safety.
While this is a new designation, only made available by the ARDMS starting in 2015, Castonguay’s passion for Pediatric ultrasound began many years ago.
Castonguay says that she was drawn to pediatrics right from the start of her career.
“I love my job and I love coming to work each day, but my passion has always been in pediatrics,” says Castonguay, who has been a registered sonographer since 2002, “Some technologists choose to specialize in vascular or cardiac ultrasound and that’s what they have a passion for, I really love helping kids.”
Castonguay began her career at Connecticut Children’s Hospital. From there she worked at Western Tennessee Children’s Hospital and Vermont Children’s Hospital at UVM Medical Center.
“I guess I have quite a bit of experience scanning children,“ she laughs. “It’s great that now there is a formal exam and registry for this specialty and that technologists can be recognized for going above and beyond to become certified.”
Currently, she is one of only 5 Registered Sonographers in the state of Vermont to hold this specialty certification.
Additional training and certification in pediatric sonography is important because performing diagnostic tests children is not the same with adults.
“There are many disease processes that are specific to children and you need this special training in order to properly scan and diagnose them,” says Castonguay. “It feels great to be able to offer these specialty services at a hospital like this one.”
“This is another fine example of the excellent service being offered at your local community hospital,” said Brian Bidwell, Director of Diagnostic Imaging Services at North Country Hospital. “We strive to provide services locally to save the patient the long trip to a larger hospital. Our equipment is state-of-the-art, our staff is competent and well trained, and our services are as current as the newest technologies allow.”
North Country Hospital is a private, nonprofit acute care community hospital serving twenty-two communities in a two-county area in the rural Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
In addition to a population base of over 27,000 residents, the hospital provides care to the many area visitors, summer vacationers, skiers and other sportsmen.
