Introduction to Emergency Medicine Ultrasound – 4 Day POCUS Course (AAA, Lung, BELS, eFAST)
 
MODULES: AAA, LUNG, BELS, & eFAST 
 
DESCRIPTION
 
The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) now supports all trainees to understand and perform a range of simple bedside ultrasound scans. The Introductory PoCUS-EM 4 day (Option A) course encompasses the most important life threatening emergencies.
 
This course is designed to take complete novices right through the basics of machine familiarisation, probe manipulation, and normal anatomy.  We teach simple protocols to identify dangerous aortic aneurysms, free fluid in the abdomen, pericardium and pleural space, major heart and common lung pathologies.
 
No prior ultrasound knowledge is required. Our sonographer staff will start you with the correct techniques that you will need throughout your scanning career.  This course is recommended for those who wish to sit down quietly and optimise their hand-eye coordination in a non-stressful situation.
 
CONTENT
 
We combine short lectures, short demonstrations and lengthy practical scanning of healthy volunteers, using tutor-student ratios of no more than 1:4. We will use case-based discussions to teach interpretation and integration into clinical situations.
 
This 4 day course will include the following modules.
	
Ultrasound physics, machine orientation and transducer manipulation.
	
AAA - Normal anatomy and significant abnormality.
	
EFAST -Normal anatomy, required views and significant pathology
	
BELS - Focused (Basic) Echo in Life support / cardiac arrest scenarios
	
LUNG - Basic Lung ultrasound in the breathless patient
 
OBJECTIVES
 
The learning objectives for the student doing the four-day course include:
	
Understand and optimise machine settings for safe implementation of each protocol
	
Define the indications and views needed for each protocol.
	
Recognise and obtain good quality images for each protocol on (relatively) healthy volunteers with a variety of body habitus.
	
Understand the implementation of each protocol using case-based quizzes.
	
Recognise pathology within the context of a clinical scenario.
	
Discuss clinical decision making in the light of the information obtained.
	
Synthesise four new tools to model multi-system scanning, with the aim of improving patient care.
 
ACCREDITATIONS & APPROVALS
 
ACEM |  Course 003 is approved for 30.5 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours as complying with ACEM standards and policies.
 
ASUM | Accredited CCPU units included in the course:
	
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)
	
Extended Focussed Abdominal Scan for Trauma (eFAST)
	
Basic Echocardiography in Life Support (BELS)
	
Lung
 
ACRRM | This course is approved for 29 total activity hours. PDP units: 16 Performance Review, 13 Educational Activity. MOPS points: 30, 6. Grant eligibility: Emergency Medicine, Anaesthetics, Obstetrics, Surgery.
 
RACGP I Pending approval.  
 
LOCATION
Gold Coast Office
2 Miami Key
Broadbeach Waters, QLD 4218