Hands-On POCUS Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers
IS IT TIME TO GET THE HANDS-ON ULTRASOUND SCANNING EDUCATION YOU HAVE BEEN WANTING?
Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers has an online lecture course for didactic learning as well as hands-on ultrasound scanning education.
These courses are for the women’s health providers who:
does very limited scans (find the head, look for the heartbeat) but wants to learn to do more.
has learned to scan “on the job” but wants to have more formal education.
wants to take the Midwife Sonography Examination, but does not feel prepared.
wants to be able to bill for performing and interpreting scans
wants to expand their scope of practice to include ultrasound.
wants either lecture or hands-on experience or both.
THE COST OF THE IN-PERSON COURSE:
The cost of the courses covers the online course which should be completed prior to the hands-on scanning portion of the course. This is a $500 value. The tuition fee also covers the full cost of course supplies and instructor expenses. There are no additional expenses.
The one-day course costs $1,500 per person*+.
The two-day course costs $2,500 per person*+.
*Occasionally, if the course is outside of the continental United States, additional travel expenses may apply.
+ If the online course has already been purchased, the course fee will be reduced by the amount paid for the online course.
IN-PERSON HANDS-ON ULTRASOUND COURSE OVERVIEW
The Hands-on Ultrasound Course includes both the online didactic course and the hands-on scanning portion of the course. The online course is to be completed prior to beginning the hands-on component of the course.
The scanning portion of the course is lead by nationally certified sonographers and highly skilled faculty who are also midwives, nurse practitioners and obstetric certified nurses. The faculty travel to your clinical venue, saving you the time and expense of traveling.
Two hands-on ultrasound courses are offered: a one day or a two day hands-on course.
A one-day hands on ultrasound course is an orientation to the full scope of OB/ Gyn POCUS scanning. It includes introduction to the ultrasound machine, learning what the knobs and settings do to enhance an image. Scans done include normal gyn and IUD location, early and later first trimester anatomy and dating, second trimester biometry for dating and assessment of fetal growth patterns. Amniotic fluid volume, fetal presentation, placental location and the Biophysical Profile are all part of the first day. The small group of 4 participants allows each person to get practice with all types of scans.
The two-day course is an opportunity to solidify the wide range of learning from the first day. This is a chance to become more organized in scanning, and more independent in the use of machine knobology. It is reinforcement of measuring techniques, completing full scans, and creating reports. The instructor encourages more independence in scanning techniques. The participant becomes more likely to return home with greater scanning competence, ready to continue learning through practice scanning with more confidence. This group is also limited to 4 persons.
“Ultrasound for Women’s Health Providers” is comprehensive with an online lecture course and hands-on scanning designed to prepare women’s health providers to have the basic knowledge of Point of Care ultrasound (POCUS). POCUS knowledge covers a wide number of topics beginning with the concept of Point of Care Ultrasound scanning that sets the parameters of the scope of scanning at the bedside with the purpose of obtaining information for diagnosis and management of the patient needs in real time. POCUS does not include 1st or 2nd trimester genetic screening or the full anatomy screen. It also does not include complex gynecologic evaluation.
The coursecovers limited gynecologic scans and limited first trimester obstetric exams. There is an introduction to the physics of diagnostic ultrasound as well as the concept of cross-sectional anatomy necessary to scan and interpret the scans to be performed.
Limited second and third trimester scanning encompasses the range of biometry to assess fetal gestational age as well as the skills to perform and interpret the fetal well-being procedure of the Biophysical Profile. Estimated fetal weight, feta position, placental location, and fetal growth patterns are also included for second and third trimester scanning.
All of our courses have a similar curriculum, so they enhance each other. The online course is a didactic, lecture-based course that has the building blocks necessary to perform excellent hands-on scanning. The hands-on scanning course relies on the knowledge from the online course to be able to teach how to create clear, legible images that lead to important findings for clinical management of each client. So, the following course description will cover the topics that are covered in both the online and the hands-on scanning courses.
The first topic is the concept of Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS). Point of Care Ultrasound sets the parameters of the scope of practice for scanning at the bedside with the purpose of addressing a specific clinical question and obtaining information to be able to manage the care of the patient in real time.
The courses do focus on basic gynecology with recognition of normal female anatomy. Common pelvic masses and identification of IUD placement are also included.
First trimester covers development and assessment of the normal pregnancy with information on gestational age assessment, identification of a failed pregnancy and ectopic or pregnancy of unknown location. Documentation of the fetal heart rate with M-Mode is emphasized.
The second and third trimester sections encompass the range of fetal biometry to assess gestational age as well as fetal growth patterns. Identification of fetal position, placental location and its relationship to the cervical os are included. Amniotic fluid volume is measured for evaluation of volume normalcy as well as for implications as part of the Biophysical Profile (BPP). The skills to perform and interpret the BPP is essential to assessment of fetal well-being in the third trimester.
The physics of ultrasound is included in the online course to have a basic understanding of how ultrasound works. This knowledge is then applied when using the knobs, buttons, and touch screens of ultrasound machines and to understand common artifacts on the ultrasound screen. Bioeffects are discussed in depth in the online course and then discussed during the hands-on course.
Beyond clinical applications and physics are other areas of practice that are influenced by using ultrasound. The business aspects of ultrasound are discussed in the hands-on course as well as the billing of ultrasound exams. Finally, documentation and liability are both addressed online and discussed in person.
This is a very general review of the topics in both types of courses. Many other topics and details are included. Of importance is our commitment to be available to clarify topics and to answer questions as they arise in both formats. The online course is self-paced, can be returned to many times for review or clarification. It is the students’ course for a lifetime, including updates as they are made.