The effectiveness of a longitudinal ultrasound curriculum for general pediatricians working in a Puerto Rican emergency department: a pilot study

Abstract

Background: The Hospital Pediatrico Universitario (HOPU) is the principal institution in Puerto Rico offering medical services to the children of the island and the Caribbean. There is limited use of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) in their emergency department (ED) and obtaining an ultrasound through radiology is prohibitively time consuming. The objective of this study is to increase PoCUS knowledge and comfort by the ED physicians in the HOPU pediatric emergency department. Results: Thirteen general pediatricians completed the entire PoCUS course, but only 10 completed both the pre- and post-tests and therefore included in the analysis (N = 10). Pretest scores ranged from 30 to 63.3% with a mean of 41.6% [standard deviation (SD) 9.95]. The posttest scores ranged from 55 to 96%, with a mean of 66.1% (SD 12.26). The mean difference in scores was 24.42% (95% confidence interval 17.9, 30.9) with a significance of p < 0.05 and range of 8.3–36.6%. Physician experience and confidence with each topic improved from baseline. After the course, the majority of the participants (> 70%) had at least some confidence in 5 of the 6 topics. Conclusions: In EDs with limited resources, a longitudinal PoCUS educational curriculum is effective in improving the knowledge and comfort of physicians with limited PoCUS experience. The effectiveness of scheduled, repeated courses to refresh and refocus participants was highlighted following the unexpected challenges encountered during the course, including multiple natural disasters.