Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2025
Author Spotlight: Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Comprehensive Evaluation of the Abdominal Aorta
Published on: September 8, 2023
Point-of-care ultrasound for abdominal aortic aneurysm screening in the primary care setting
1Brandon Geer is an NP at Geer Care in Le Roy, N.Y.
Background:
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are often asymptomatic; however, if they rupture, they have a mortality of 81%.
Methods:
This project, completed as part of the author's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program requirements, evaluated the implementation of a point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) screening protocol involving in-office AAA screenings using a handheld ultrasound device. The purpose of this project was to examine whether POCUS would increase adherence to AAA screening guidelines in the primary care setting.
Results:
POCUS AAA screening increased adherence to screening guidelines and was preferred by participants to formal ultrasound screening.
Conclusion:
This project recommends performing additional research on a larger scale over a longer period to more fully assess POCUS applicability for this purpose.
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