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

Successful Completion

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

Accreditation

The 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

Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content will be identified by the Nurse Planner within the activity. Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content has been mitigated.

Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing education only and does not imply AACN, ANCC, or CBRN approval or endorsement of any commercial products discussed or displayed in conjunction with this educational activity. Activities with pharmacology hours are to assist the APRN in fulfilling the pharmacotherapeutic education requirements for licensure and certification renewals.

Activities meet the standards for most states that require mandatory continuing education for license and/or certification renewal. AACN recommends consulting with your own state board of nursing or credentialing organization before submitting your certificate of completion.

Refund Policy

Continuing Education Activities are nonrefundable.