“The training of their instructors has been instrumental in giving us the heart as well as the technical, medical and scientific knowledge and skills.”
Alaska. Iowa. Oregon. Three states separated by miles and cultures and climate. What do they have in common? Each of them decided to invest in Sparrow Solutions Group for their sonography training in the past six months.
What led Cyndi Bright, Vicki Tyler, and Colleen Ward, executive directors from PMCs in these three states to choose Sparrow Sonography, out of all their options?
Sparrow’s PMC Advisor talked with them briefly to learn what went into their decision-making process.
For Vicki Tyler, Women’s Choice Executive Director in Bettendorf, Iowa, the decision was easy, as this was their third time to work with Sparrow, formerly known as Sonography Now. Vicki pointed out the following hallmarks in Sparrow’s sonography training: “always excellence with everything; they take their time to make sure the nurses understand, breaking it down in its parts, and building on each part; help with learning the machine; great about answering questions; and helping learn on a mobile unit.”
Vicki said she’s talked to others who say they’ve saved money by going with training other than Sparrow, but she said, “We need two weeks. It’s a lot of preparation, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.” She added, “We also appreciate having two separate instructors who do things a little differently, not just one instructor. Having the perspective of two different hands, two different eyes. What works with one nurse-sonographer may not be best for another, so having the two trainers is very helpful.”
Vicki added, “As a non-medical person, I value people who know how to teach. Anyone can have the skills, but that doesn’t mean they have the ability to teach. Sparrow instructors know how to teach.”
Another facet Vicki said she appreciated is Sparrow’s organizational structure and the coaching and guidance Sparrow gives to make sure there are enough women scheduled at the right stages in their pregnancies so that the nurses can get all their scanning completed during the two weeks of on-site training.
Vicki described how Sparrow instructors connect back with the nurses and PMC. “The training is not just for those two weeks, but for six months after that.”
She went on to explain how one of her nurses was struggling with a shoulder issue and called the Sparrow instructor. During the consultation, the instructor thought it might be a reaching issue and encouraged the nurse to stand. And they did not neglect to pray. God heard their prayers and answered, and she has not had any more issues with her shoulder.
Unlike Vicki, ABC Pregnancy Care Center Executive Director Colleen Ward, had not worked with Sparrow Sonography until spring of 2016. The ED of her clinic since 2011, their original sonography training had been with Sparrow/Sonography Now before Colleen’s time, and through word of mouth, she understood that to be a positive experience.
Still, Colleen’s past experience in the business world, plus her understanding of stewardship motivated her to be very careful with every dollar that comes into the center. So she was cautious when it came to spending thousands of dollars on sonography training.
When Colleen met with the coalition of Alaska PMCs in Wasilla in February and heard how very pleased they’d been with their training, it happened to be at the same time they needed two nurses trained. Colleen noticed that the developments happening in Sparrow seemed aligned with where they were as a clinic.
Two months later, Connie and Sparrow Sonography Instructor Michelle Bunn, RDMS, were in Kenai conducting Essentials of Imaging and Clinic Operations training. Colleen noted, “We have a large non-medical staff, and because of Connie’s ability to teach, they were able to learn first hand what it means for us to offer sonography.”
What stood out most to Colleen about the training, however, was “the true spirit of Christ, understanding that we’re in a battle, and that Sparrow didn’t just come to help them master a technical skill.” She went on to describe other qualities that added value, “patience level, welcoming to questions, not undermining leadership, sensitive—wanting to understand our policies and procedures and function within how we operate, gentleness toward clients, never compromising the welfare of clients—what they need and how to meet those needs is of utmost importance, and she took all of that into consideration.”
Another thing Colleen most appreciated is how, “Connie understands the strategy of business development. We were able to discuss things that weren’t even on the agenda and will probably save tens of thousands of dollars. She helped us in two areas that weren’t even scheduled: She helped us develop tangible steps as we move toward [AAAHC] accreditation in 2017. We’ll be going to the conference in December. And we discussed adding STD testing.”
Colleen concluded that their goal was to have two nurses that were scan-ready at the conclusion of the training, and that goal was accomplished in a nurturing, positive, growing environment.
Cyndi Bright, Executive Director of The Pregnancy Center in Medford, Oregon, said when it came to choosing a sonography training company, “We did our research. Sparrow Sonography—which was Sonography Now at the time—not only did they care about the woman we’d be treating but how we are being thorough in the ultrasound process. They extended the utmost in kindness and were really genuine, and really understand the women we see.”
Cyndi went on to describe their patients, “Some have been trafficked; some raped; they’ve made terrible decisions; many don’t know who the father is.”
She continued, “Their training in Las Vegas has been instrumental in giving us the heart as well as the technical, medical, and scientific knowledge and skills. When our nurses get back, they feel so validated. What they teach us is more valuable than the money we spend on it.”
Her second time to train with Sparrow, Cyndi credits their positive experience with Connie’s leadership. “Everyone with Sparrow is always so available. Always so kind. I think it’s the trickle-down effect. It starts with Connie and her leadership.”
Cyndi added how Sparrow going “above and beyond what they were here to do—anything to make things easier for us,” resulted in their getting a brand new ultrasound machine for less money than they’d anticipated. Sparrow helped them to see they “didn’t need to buy up, but to buy what we need.” At the time, they were considering a machine that was 7-8 years old and that cost more. She added, “And Sparrow gets no kickback—nothing.”
Like Heather Hawkins, from Hopkinsville, KY, Cyndi also appreciated Sparrow’s research with all the equipment companies that don’t sell to abortion clinics.
Colleen offered what might be considered the best advice in the decision-making process: “Talk to past centers who used those trainers. That helped me decide. Then pray. Pray. And pray some more.”
Reni Bumpas
Sparrow Solutions Consultant
Dyersburg, TN
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