- Purpose of Policy
To define the circumstances under which a chaperone is required during an ultrasound examination and to describe the process for obtaining chaperones. - Policy Scope
DHMC Department of Radiology, Ultrasound Section - Definitions
Eligibility for chaperoning is limited to adult employees (male or female, as specified) of Dartmouth-Hitchcock and student doctors at the Geisel School of Medicine; volunteers who are neither employees nor Geisel students are not eligible. - Policy Statement
- Intracavitary, transperineal, or breast ultrasound examinations of a female patient may be performed by a male sonographer only in the presence of a female chaperone.
- A female sonographer may, at her discretion, require the presence of a chaperone during testicular examination of a male patient.
- Responsibility for securing chaperone services
- 3.1 During normal business hours (0800-1700, M-F) responsibility for arranging chaperone services rests with the sonographer performing the examination.
- 3.2 Outside of normal business hours, the ordering department will be asked to provide a chaperone (when required) for all on-call ultrasound studies.
- 3.3 If staffing limitations make it unfeasible to provide a chaperone, the ED charge Nurse (or in the case of a non-ED patient, the requesting provider) will call the DHMC House Supervisor (pager 9732) and request a chaperone.
- 3.4 The ED Charge Nurse (or in the case of a non ED patient, the requesting provider) will communicate with the on call Radiology resident to ensure a timely process and scheduling for the ultrasound exam of the patient.
Revised 8/13/13 per S Yen, D Seguin