PA use of point-of-care ultrasound: A pilot survey

Limited research exists on PAs and use of point-of-care (POC) ultrasound. This pilot survey sought to determine current views on and use of POC ultrasound in a small group of PAs. Methods: The authors developed an anonymous voluntary survey on PA views and use of POC ultrasound. The survey was entered into Qualtrics and e-mailed three times. Results: Nearly 27% of the subjects use ultrasound with 62% feeling confident in their ability to use ultrasound. The top reason for not using ultrasound was lack of access to a machine (50%). Only 35.3% of those without access to a machine were interested in bringing ultrasound into their practices. Sixty-seven percent of respondents felt that PAs should have standardized ultrasound training. Conclusions: Results demonstrate that more research is needed into the applicability of POC ultrasound to all PA practice areas as well as how PAs should be trained in POC ultrasound.