Living Our Core Value of Community: Teaching Area Hospitals

Recently, our team hosted an evening of dinner and instruction for Tustin Legacy Animal Hospital (TLAH) focused on AFAST and TFAST scans, now commonly referred to as point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). After the TLAH team reached out for guidance on scanning techniques, Medical Director and Board-Certified Criticalist and Emergency Veterinarian Dr. April Summers joined the team for a presentation and hands-on practice.

The group used a team member’s dog as their practice patient. With a previous diagnosis of a lung mass and liver cysts, the patient provided a real-world opportunity to identify anatomical landmarks and practice recognizing findings that can help inform a diagnosis.

What started as a one-hour session turned into nearly three hours, with each team member taking a turn scanning, asking questions and practicing their technique. By the end of the evening, the team had greater confidence in using POCUS and a new skill they could put to work for their next patient.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to share our expertise with our colleagues at TLAH. Creating opportunities to learn from one another makes all of us better and ultimately benefits the patients we share.