Focused and Extended Focused Assessment With Sonography for Trauma

Activity Summary

Required reading for all learners: Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes

Interest is increasing in the use of ultrasonography to assess and guide the treatment of critically ill patients. The ability to conduct a rapid bedside examination to answer specific clinical queries and direct therapies can be lifesaving. Ultrasonography adds crucial diagnostic details to physical examinations. It has become invaluable in the evaluation of patients in the emergency department, and as such, the American College of Emergency Physicians developed a policy statement making point-of-care ultrasonography a standard of care in emergency medicine. For decades, trauma patients have been quickly evaluated for injury using the Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST). The FAST has many desirable features of a diagnostic tool, namely allowing for a rapid, noninvasive, accurate, and inexpensive means of diagnosing internal injury of the abdomen, chest, and pelvis.

Objectives

Describe the difference between the FAST and the extended FAST exams
Identify where in the primary survey, the FAST or extended FAST should be done.
Describe three reasons that have helped the FAST and extended FAST become a preferred point of care study for trauma patients.

Continuing Education Disclosure Statement

Criteria for Awarding Contact Hours

Learners must complete the entire activity and the associated evaluation AND read Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes. No partial credit will be awarded.

Accreditation

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider number CEP 1036, for {contactHours} contact hours.

Disclosures

The Nurse Planner has determined that no individuals with the ability to control content of this activity have relevant relationships with ineligible companies.

Activities with pharmacotherapeutic credit are to assist the APRN in fulfilling their education requirements for licensure and certification renewals.

Refund Policy

Continuing Education Activities are nonrefundable.