Point of care ultrasonography use and training among trauma providers across Canada.

SUMMARY: Point of care ultrasonography (POCUS) is revolutionizing care of critically ill patients. However, training in POCUS is extremely variable, with no accepted curriculum or certification process. We aimed to delineate the training experience and use of POCUS among trauma providers across Canada via a secure e-questionnaire sent to members of the Trauma Association of Canada. This commentary discusses our survey results and argues for the standardization of POCUS training and certification in Canada.

Remote just-in-time telementored trauma ultrasound: a double-factorial randomized controlled trial examining fluid detection and remote knobology control through an ultrasound graphic user interface display.

BACKGROUND: Remote-telementored ultrasound involves novice examiners being remotely guided by experts using informatic-technologies. However, requiring a novice to perform ultrasound is a cognitively demanding task exacerbated by unfamiliarity with ultrasound-machine controls. We incorporated a randomized evaluation of using remote control of the ultrasound functionality (knobology) within a study in which the images generated by distant naive examiners were viewed on an ultrasound graphic user interface (GUI) display viewed on laptop computers by mentors in different cities. METHODS: Fire-fighters in Edmonton (101) were remotely mentored from Calgary (n = 65), Nanaimo (n = 19), and Memphis (n = 17) to examine an ultrasound phantom randomized to contain free fluid or not. Remote mentors (2 surgeons, 1 internist, and 1 ED physician) were randomly assigned to use GUI knobology control during mentoring (GUIK+/GUIK-). RESULTS: Remote-telementored ultrasound was feasible in all cases. Overall accuracy for fluid detection was 97% (confidence interval = 91 to 99%) with 3 false negatives (FNs). Positive/negative likelihood ratios were infinity/0.0625. One FN occurred with the GUIK+ and 2 without (GUIK-). There were no statistical test performance differences in either group (GUIK+ and GUIK-). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-naive 1st responders can be remotely mentored with high accuracy, although providing basic remote control of the knobology did not affect outcomes.