Despite its widespread application as a perioperative monitor during non-cardiac surgery, most CRNAs lack the knowledge and skills to perform transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). This likely is particularly true for CRNAs with exclusive practices outside of cardiac surgery. To address this condition, the AANA has recommended monitoring and interpretation of TEE as a special privilege for CRNAs, and the Councilon Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs has identified point of care ultrasound — a term that includes TEE — as a desired skill in nurse anesthesia training.

In addition to these recommendations, CRNAs should acquire entry-level TEE knowledge and skills to optimize patient safety in the general operating room. Focused TEE, involving a handful of select views that are interpreted qualitatively, provides a straightforward approach to the diagnosis and appropriate management of significant perioperative adverse events including hypotension and myocardial ischemia. Additionally, there are a limited number of contraindications to TEE, and major complications are infrequent and often easily avoidable. To provide a rationale for acquisition of TEE knowledge and skills by CRNAs and generally demystify TEE use for nurse anesthesia practitioners, this session addresses the relative and absolute contraindications to TEE, the incidence and types of the most common TEE complications,and demonstrates the powerful diagnostic potential of focused TEE in non-cardiac surgery. Multiple case examples are used for teaching purposes.

Learning Outcome(s):

1. Identify the common, important utilities for focused TEE in non-cardiac surgery.
2. List the relative and absolute contraindications to TEE, and the common TEE-associated complications and their approximate incidence.
3. Utilize focused TEE imagery to diagnose the cause(s) of hypothetical adverse clinical scenarios and implement appropriate therapy during non-cardiac surgery.

This program has been prior approved by the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology for 0.1 Class A CE credits; Code Number 1044718; Expiration Date 8/25/2027. AANA designates this program as meeting the criteria for up to 0.5 CE Credits in pharmacology/therapeutics. 

Barry Swerdlow, M.D.

Accreditation Information:
The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. 

AANA is an approved provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP #10862.

Disclosure Statement:
Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content will be identified by the Nurse Planner within the activity. Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content has been mitigated.

Post-Test Attempt Notice:
A minimum passing score of 80% is required to pass this course. You have TWO opportunities to achieve a passing score. If you fail to achieve a passing score of 80%, you will not receive CE credit for this course.

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Refund Policy:
Continuing education activities are nonrefundable.