Point-of-Care Ultrasonography for Advanced Practice Providers: A Training Initiative

The objective of this initiative is to determine the efficacy of a rigorous point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) training program for nurse practitioners (NPs) in the domain of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Two NPs and 1 physician assistant completed online and didactic training. Training was evaluated using multiple modalities. Assessment scores and self-perceived competency ratings improved in all aspects of the TTE examination after training. Hands-on supervision augmented the efficiency of training in study acquisition. A multifaceted approach to POCUS training is effective for NPs with optimal methodologies including didactic learning and supervised hands-on training for image acquisition. •Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a valuable tool to augment medical decision making in the emergency and critical care settings.•Nurse practitioners (NPs) can augment clinical decision making through formal POCUS transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) training and credentialing.•NPs can be trained in the acquisition and interpretation of POCUS studies, specifically TTE, using a multifaceted training approach.•Hands-on training augments proficiency in POCUS TTE image acquisition.