Can nurses perform ultrasounds as part of a nursing assessment?

Nurses who have a therapeutic nurse-client relationship with a client can apply ultrasound to conduct routine nursing assessments (for example, portable bladder ultrasound scanning) to help develop or implement the client’s plan of care. This is noted in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991.

Before performing this activity, nurses must determine they are competent to do so and can interpret the findings. Nurses must have the knowledge, skill and judgment to determine the activity is appropriate, manage the client during the activity and provide follow-up care.

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