“To Do or Not To Do?” Clinical Integration of Point-Of-Care Ultrasound After Training: A Prospective Study

Abstract Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) can serve as a valuable adjunct for patient care. This study aimed to investigate the clinical integration of PoCUS of the first post-graduate year (PGY-1) residents after a PoCUS curriculum.Methods: The prospective study was conducted at the emergency department (ED) of the National Taiwan University Hospital between July 2015 and October 2017. Every PGY-1 resident had one-month ED training and a PoCUS curriculum was implemented during the first week. The post-training objective structured clinical examination global ratings were obtained, as well as the sonographic examinations the residents performed on shifts. Four groups could be identified: group 1 performed PoCUS before and after the curriculum; group 2 performed only after the curriculum; group 3 performed only before the curriculum; the last did not perform any examinations.Results: 239 residents participated. The median global rating was 4 (interquartile ranges, 4-5). After the curriculum, an increasing number of residents integrated PoCUS into patient care (64 vs. 170, p=0.037) with acceptable image quality. No differences existed in the global ratings between 4 groups, however, nearly 30% of residents did not use PoCUS during their shifts. Group 1 performed more cases with better image quality and using ≥2 US applications (8/100 vs. 82/359, p=0.0009), compared with those before the curriculum. Comparing with those in groups 1 and 2, group 1 performed more cases (p<0.0001) with better image quality (p=0.03). “No suitable cases” (25/69), and “choosing other imaging priorities” (43/69) were the main feedbacks in groups 3 and 4.Conclusions: A short focused US training had an immediate positive impact on OSCE global ratings and integration of PoCUS of PGY-1 residents in the ED. The global ratings could not predict whether to use PoCUS in the ED practice. Although the working climate was designated to be friendly for utilizing US, a substantial percentage of residents did not use PoCUS. Further longitudinal studies would be needed for the sustained effects of the curriculum.Trial registration: NCT03738033.