Chaperone Policy

1. 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.
2. Policy Scope
   DHMC Department of Radiology, Ultrasound Section
3. 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.
4. Policy Statement
   1. 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.
   2. A female sonographer may, at her discretion, require the presence of a chaperone during testicular examination of a male patient.
   3. 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