Using a Doppler to Calculate ABPI

Course Overview

The course will assist registered nurses to develop the essential knowledge and problem-solving skills required to use a Doppler ultrasound to assess patients with leg ulcers.

The course will also outline the use of a Doppler as a tool to assist the doctor with diagnosing peripheral vascular disease for those patients at risk of circulatory disease.

Estimated Duration

1 hour

Learning Objectives

Following completion of this course you should be able to:

• Recall how a Doppler ultrasound is used to estimate systolic blood pressure
• Explain the purpose of taking an ankle brachial pressure index (or ABPI)
• Identify the Doppler frequency range recommended for taking an ABPI
• Recall key principles to be considered before taking an ABPI
• List the essential procedural steps involved in taking an ABPI
• Describe factors that are known to affect the accuracy of Doppler readings
• Identify various basic Doppler waveform patterns and sounds and their significance, and
• Calculate the ABPI for a range of case studies and identify the significance of these measurements in regard to arterial disease and compression therapy.

Target Audience

Suitable for nurses working in primary health care including general practice.

What you’ll get

At the completion of the course, you will be presented with a brief online assessment that will test your underpinning knowledge.

To fully complete the course and claim your full CPD hours, we recommend you also complete the corresponding survey. It only takes a few minutes to complete.

Once you have completed all sections of the course, a certificate will be available next to the course name in the ‘My Training’ section of APNA Online Learning.