Evaluation of a thoracic ultrasound training module for the detection of pneumothorax and pulmonary edema by prehospital physician care providers
2009

Training Module for Detecting Lung Issues with Ultrasound

Sample size: 27 publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Vicki E Noble, Lionel Lamhaut, Roberta Capp, Nichole Bosson, Andrew Liteplo, Jean-Sebastian Marx, Pierre Carli

Primary Institution: Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital

Hypothesis

Can a focused training module improve image recognition skills for detecting pneumothorax and pulmonary edema in prehospital physicians?

Conclusion

The training module significantly improved image recognition skills for physicians, enhancing their ability to diagnose pneumothorax and pulmonary edema.

Supporting Evidence

  • Pre-test scores for pneumothorax improved from 10.3 to 20.1 after training.
  • Pre-test scores for pulmonary edema improved from 14.1 to 20.9 after training.
  • All physicians felt thoracic ultrasound could positively impact their practice.

Takeaway

Doctors learned to use ultrasound to see if patients have lung problems, and after training, they got much better at it.

Methodology

27 physicians completed pre-tests, underwent training, and took post-tests to assess image recognition skills.

Potential Biases

Potential bias in self-reported previous ultrasound experience.

Limitations

The study did not assess long-term retention of skills or practical application in real-life scenarios.

Participant Demographics

27 physicians from the Paris Service D'Aide Médicale Urgente with varying levels of ultrasound experience.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p < 0.0001

Confidence Interval

95% CI 8.7 – 11.9 for pneumothorax; 95% CI 12.0 – 16.1 for pulmonary edema

Statistical Significance

p < 0.0001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1472-6920-9-3

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