Should You Be Using Clinical/Bedside Ultrasound?

clinical ultrasound explained

You’re probably aware of the rapid growth of clinical ultrasound…

Is it something you should learn as a medical professional?

Can it help your clinical practice?

The answer to both questions is likely yes.

We’ve entered into a new era in which the tremendous advantages of ultrasound can be transferred directly to the clinician at the bedside:

  • Improved patient outcomes
  • Less time to diagnosis
  • Improved patient satisfaction
  • Cost savings
  • Typically no need to call a technician or wait for radiology results.

What is clinical ultrasound anyway?

Simply, clinical ultrasound is used at the bedside by any clinician taking care of a patient.  Clinical ultrasound encompasses “bedside ultrasound” and “point-of-care ultrasound.”

Clinicians ranging from physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, paramedics to respiratory therapists can all benefit from clinical ultrasound.

It’s often vital to gather as much information as possible, as quickly as possible, at the point of care.  Patient history is often limited and physical examination can be limited as well. This is where clinical ultrasound comes into play. It gives you the opportunity to look inside a patient in real time, at the bedside.  This, of course, helps determine underlying causes and the appropriate plan of action.

Is clinical ultrasound better than other imaging modalities?

The literature is revealing that ultrasound is significantly more accurate than physical exam alone. It can even rival imaging modalities such as CT and MRI with less radiation, lower cost and more rapidly.  Furthermore, clinical correlation happens immediately,  because it’s the clinician that’s taking care of the patient and performing the ultrasound examination.

Are ultrasound machines still large and expensive?

Historically, ultrasounds were clunky, however the technology has become smaller while maintaining image quality and functionality. The future of clinical ultrasound is exciting. Nano chip technology, where you plug a probe into your phone and can use a single probe for the whole body is where we’re heading. This has the potential to change the face of patient care.

A new MedCram Instructor and ultrasound specialist

We’re excited to welcome our newest instructor, Joshua Jacquet, MD, FACEP, RDMS to MedCram. He’s an emergency physician and clinical ultrasound expert that developed our newest course – Clinical Ultrasound Explained Clearly.

Before we dive into details of the course, a little background on Dr. Jacquet.  First and foremost, Dr. Jacquet is an emergency physician and became interested in clinical ultrasound to optimize his own patient care.

Dr. Jacquet is currently the Emergency Ultrasound Director at Cleveland Clinic Akron General in Akron, Ohio. He’s a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) and holds an Emergency Medicine Point-of-Care US certification with the Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement (APCA).

He’s an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University.  He serves at the Ohio Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) on the curriculum oversight committee.  Dr. Jacquet routinely lectures to local, state and national audiences.

Overview of Clinical Ultrasound Explained Clearly

The Clinical Ultrasound Explained Clearly course will help you master the foundations of clinical bedside ultrasound, and includes the following:

  • A clear understanding of the physics of ultrasound waves & and how they react in tissue
  • An overview of ultrasound transducers and what they’re used for
  • Key ultrasound terminology, orientation, imaging planes, and biosafety
  • Step by step illustrations of the nobs, dials, and modes of an ultrasound machine (“knobology”)
  • Examples of various ultrasound artifacts that impact ultrasound images
  • How to handle an ultrasound transducer and set up the machine for your first ultrasound exam
  • Quiz questions after each video to reinforce essential concepts

Who Should Take The Clinical Ultrasound Course?

Students and medical professionals in a variety of medical fields. Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, & technicians who seek clinical/ point of care ultrasound to become a part of their practice.

For those new to ultrasound, this course provides an excellent foundation prior to participating in hands-on training of specific exam techniques.

For those with prior ultrasound experience, this course provides a focused review of the core concepts needed to advance skills and understanding.

Learn more about the Clinical Ultrasound Explained Clearly Course at MedCram.com

Happy scanning and hope you enjoy the course!  Dr. Jacquet will be adding new ultrasound topics soon.

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