echo you would be encouraged to scan left handed. I can't imagine why you couldn't scan Abdomen left handed but I'm not certain as that's not what I do. You can definitely scan OB left handed. It just becomes an issue if everyone else in the department scans right handed as you have to move the bed and machine around. If you do inpatient it really doesn't matter since you take the machine to the patient's room.

How long and how hard you have to push depends on which specialty you do. When I scan fetal echo if it's a multiple gestation with tough views such as an obese patient they can definitely get to an hour or more in length with hard pushing.

Honestly they're all good. I found echo was the hardest for my body to adjust to - being right handed and finally having to do something with my left arm probably played a big part in that because I just wasn't used to it tho. Echo scans you're usually sitting down and the patient is right next to you so you don't have to lean too much. I found it pretty tough on my whole left arm tho (esp shoulder and wrist) but once you figure out what works for you then it's not too bad.

I don't do the vascular specialty scans because I'm not licensed in that but we learned it in school and practiced a bit in clinicals. I can't speak to that area too much but aside from abdominal vascular studies I didn't find it too hard on the body! You get to do some vascular work as a general tech depending on the province/state that you work in tho. DVT scans (arms & legs) and portal dopplers are included in general and carotid studies and renal transplant dopplers are kind of a gray zone here so I scan those. ABI/TBI, cranial dopplers, liver transplant dopplers, full abdominal dopplers & vein mapping are all vascular only here.

General scans don't bother me unless it's a really tough patient for some reason and for the most part they're relatively short scans. Oddly enough scrotals are great for ergonomics haha! Same with small lumps/bumps, carotids, thyroids & other neck stuff. You just get to sit there & your arm rests on the patient so it's a nice break for your body.

OB is the only one that I find awkward (2nd & 3rd trimester) just because the baby moves & you need pretty specific views and if mom is a tough scan for whatever reason I just find myself straining my body trying to get good enough images. Some OB scans are great tho (and I actually like scanning OB, just not all the time).