Why Hands on Ultrasound Injection Courses Are Necessary 

Let me start this by asking a question, “Do you feel more comfortable doing a procedure on a patient that you have actually done before, or simply watched someone else do it?”

It’s actually mostly a rhetorical question. Anytime a provider puts his or her hands on a patient for a procedure (big or small), it’s just better to have that extra confidence of having done it before. Patients appreciate knowing they are not a “guinea pig”, and that there is an experienced provider performing their procedure.

When it comes to ultrasound guided injections, there is a significant learning curve for performing them. Knowing the settings on the ultrasound machine, which probe to use, how to save images are all very important.

But when it comes to actually performing the ultrasound guided injections, there is no better learning option than hands on. Most ultrasound injection training courses involve one of the following:

1.     Animal meat

2.     Performing saline injections back and forth on other attendees.

3.     Very high student/teacher ratio

All of these lead to a suboptimal experience. One of the main reasons is that attendees do not get enough experience with hands on procedures with patients who have real pathology. You need to learn what an abnormal joint looks like, such as with a torn meniscus, tendonitis, effusion, etc.

By having the provider be in the proverbial driver’s seat, the experience becomes “experiential”.  This means not using a Youtube video or an instruction booklet. But actually performing the diagnostic ultrasound, and then injecting for real into the patient’s joint.

Several studies have shown that retention dramatically increases with this type of learning. And that’s what is involved with the R3 Medical Training ultrasound injection course. Under the direct supervision of an ultrasound expert, attendees start with a patient history. Then a diagnostic ultrasound is performed with that patient, who is able to describe where his/her pain is exactly. 

The patient’s diagnosis is then either confirmed or revised. At that point, the biologic will be provided for administration. This may be PRP therapy, umbilical or amniotic allograft or exosome rich fluid or a combination.

The provider will then perform the procedure with the expert trainer right there, making sure technique is stellar and the objective is achieved. Typically there are patients available all day, so repetition is encouraged as it further solidifies the skill set.

Attendees learn how to diagnose pathology, along with needle insertion techniques. Does a patient not have recent x-rays? No problem when you know how to perform a diagnostic ultrasound!

Patients love it when providers use image guidance, as it ensures accuracy and instills confidence. C-arms are expensive and take up a lot of space, whereas, an ultrasound machine is portable and a lot less bulky.

There is no better option for MSK ultrasound training than with R3 Medical. Call us today to register at (888) 998-6343 or sign up online!