Gross, organoleptic and histologic assessment of cadaveric equine heads preserved using chemical methods for veterinary surgical teaching.

BACKGROUND: Preservation of biological tissues has been used since ancient times. Regardless of the method employed, tissue preservation is thought to be a vital step in veterinary surgery teaching and learning. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to determine the usability of chemically preserved cadaveric equine heads for surgical teaching in veterinary medicine. METHODS: Six cadaveric equine heads were collected immediately after death or euthanasia and frozen until fixation. Fixation was achieved by using a hypertonic solution consisting of sodium chloride, sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate, and an alcoholic solution containing ethanol and glycerin. Chemically preserved specimens were stored at low temperatures (2°C to 6°C) in a conventional refrigerator. The specimens were submitted to gross and organoleptic assessment right after fixative solution injection (D0) and within 10, 20, and 30 days of fixation (D10, D20, and D30, respectively). Samples of tissue from skin, tongue, oral vestibule, and masseter muscle were collected for histological evaluation at the same time points. RESULTS: Physical and organoleptic assessments revealed excellent specimen quality (mean scores higher than 4 on a 5-point scale) in most cases. In some specimens, lower scores (3) were assigned to the range of mouth opening, particularly on D0 and D10. A reduced the range of mouth opening may be a limiting factor in teaching activities involving structures located in the oral cavity. CONCLUSIONS: The excellent physical, histologic, and organoleptic characteristics of the specimens in this sample support their usability in teaching within the time frame considered. Appropriate physical and organoleptic characteristics (color, texture, odor, and flexibility) of the specimens in this study support the use of the method described for preparation of reusable anatomical specimens.

A multisite transition to nursing program: an innovative approach to facilitate incoming nursing students' academic success.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate effectiveness of a multisite program promoting the successful transition of baccalaureate and graduate entry (with a prior degree) students into pre-licensure curricula. Faculty concern around nursing students' successful completion of nursing programs and passage of the nursing licensure exam stems from challenges students encounter in core courses, study habits, and civility. METHODS: One hundred eighty-five students participated in a quasi-experimental pre-post-test mixed-methods study. Students completed content modules and open-ended surveys. RESULTS: Most students found the program helpful. Statistically significant improvements were shown in medication calculation, reading comprehension, and medical terminology. No statistically significant improvement was shown in anatomy and physiology. CONCLUSIONS: Our Transition to Nursing program shows promise and adds to proactive strategies in preparing students for a successful transition into nursing programs. Our innovative approach may serve as a model to nursing schools and colleges around the world to promote student success.

Quantitative Echocardiography Improves Resident Assessment of Left Ventricular Systolic Function.

Background: The use of echocardiography to assess left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is an important component of anesthesiology resident education; however, there is no consensus on the most effective method for teaching this skill set. This study investigates the impact and feasibility of teaching a quantitative LVEF assessment method to anesthesiology residents, compared with teaching visual estimation techniques. Methods: We included all anesthesiology residents rotating through cardiac anesthesia at our institution from August 2020 through March 2021. Participants completed a pretest to assess baseline ability to accurately estimate LVEF. All tests consisted of transthoracic echocardiography images with standard views from 10 patients. Participants were assigned to either a control group that received teaching on visual estimation of LVEF or an intervention group that was taught quantitative LVEF assessment with the Simpson biplane method of discs. After 4 weeks, all participants were administered a postteaching exam. A retention exam was administered an additional 4 weeks later. LVEF accuracy was measured as the absolute difference between their LVEF estimation and the reference value. Results: Control and intervention groups performed similarly on the preteaching exam of LVEF estimation accuracy. Intervention-group residents demonstrated significantly improved accuracy in LVEF assessment on the postteaching exam (3.6% improvement in accuracy, confidence interval [CI], 1.23-5.97; P = .03) compared with the control group (0.60% improvement inaccuracy, CI, -1.77-2.97; P = .62). The observed improvement was not maintained through the retention exam.Conclusions: Addition of quantitative LVEF assessment to traditional teaching of visual LVEF estimation methods significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy of anesthesiology residents' left ventricular systolic function assessment.

Learning and quality of life in undergraduate nursing students: An exploratory study in Chile during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that has modified all social and, especially, learning instances. The purpose of this study was to determine the perception of final-year nursing students at a university in southern Chile regarding the impact of the pandemic on their learning, and consequently on their quality of life, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a qualitative study. The research was conducted on 14 nursing students who were selected from a university located in the province of Talca, Maule Region, Chile. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews conducted during July and September 2021. The data were analyzed using the inductive logic of theoretical categorization; this process was assisted by the Nvivo 10 program. RESULTS: Two mega categories were generated that accounted for the nursing students' experience during the COVID-19 pandemic: objective factors category and subjective factors category. Six subcategories were derived from these two categories: free time, social relationships, learning from practice, physical exercise, eating habits, and emotional state. CONCLUSION: The research findings indicate that the students, in addition to feeling upset about not being able to do the internship, also feel that they have not been able to acquire all the knowledge necessary for their training and professional development, since the virtual classes fail to deliver adequate learning as they lack the practical component that is so important in their careers. This has repercussions in the physical, social, and psychological areas, affecting their quality of life.

How Can We Improve the Delivery of Urology Teaching to Medical Students Using Modern Educational Techniques?

It is generally well-known that the medical school curriculum is becoming increasingly busy, more so with the COVID-19 pandemic. By itself, urology education will need to adapt to meet the changing circumstances, but it remains uncertain on how best to address this need. In this article, we will discuss several methods that will allow institutions to ease and overcome pressures using modern educational techniques. These methods can be classified based on the aspect of the curriculum they seek to improve, namely core-curricular teaching, anatomy training, virtual reality, and electronic learning opportunities. We anticipate that the implementation of these suggestions will enhance medical school teaching.

Using experiential learning and authentic assessments to support students to become competent health promotion practitioners.

TITLE: Using experiential learning and authentic assessments to support students to become competent health promotion practitioners. ISSUE ADDRESSED: The aim of this article is to describe how experiential learning, authentic assessments, community development and ethical principles were consolidated in the design and delivery of a health promotion planning and evaluation subject (HPE) during 2019 to 2021. Experiential learning and authentic assessments were used to guide the development of health promotion competencies in line with the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) Core Competencies and Professional Standards for Health Promotion. Students were required to complete three sequential authentic assessments. Ethics approval was granted for students to undertake a needs/assets assessment with a local community group following which, students completed a literature review and planned a community development program. METHODS: The subject comprises 10 h of weekly engagement over a 12-week semester with weekly topics following a program logic model. Working in teams and individually, students work with a local community group to assess their needs/assets and establish priority areas regarding health and wellbeing. This then informed the development of a health promotion program and evaluation plan. Students undertook three sequential authentic assessment tasks: (i) needs/assets report, (ii) a literature review and (iii) a program folio. Retrospective anonymous student feedback on subject (SFS) data from 2019 to 2021 was used to evaluate HPE. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: HPE provides students with the opportunity to understand ethical principles and processes, engage with stakeholders in the community and develop qualitative research skills, to plan and evaluate health promotion programs. SFS scores have improved with an overall score of 3.7 (response rate 49.44%) in 2019 to 4.3 (response rate 39.58%) in 2020 and 4.04 (response rate 28.57%) in 2021. CONCLUSION: Students acquire a broad range of knowledge and skills in line with IUHPE Core Competency and Professional Standards for Health Promotion preparing them for their future professional practice. SO WHAT?: These teaching and learning experiences show that students can develop health promotion competencies through sound pedagogical approaches, both online and face-to-face and in challenging environments.

The stakeholders' perceptions of the requirements of implementing innovative educational approaches in nursing: a qualitative content analysis study.

BACKGROUND: Improving the competencies of nurses requires improving educational methods through the use of novel methods in teaching and learning. We aim to explore the perceptions of stakeholders (including nursing education directors, faculty members and nursing students) of the requirements of implementing innovative educational approaches in nursing. METHODS: In this qualitative descriptive study, 19 participants, including educational directors, faculty members, and undergraduate and graduate nursing students, were selected through the purposeful sampling method. Achieving the theoretical saturation in extracted categories was considered as a criterion for determining the sample size and the completion of sampling. The data were collected from December 2019 to May 2020 in nursing schools of Tehran, Iran, through in-depth semi-structured individual face-to-face interviews and were then analyzed based on the Graneheim and Lundman method. RESULTS: Using qualitative content analysis, eight sub-themes and three themes were extracted. The extracted themes were 'novel educational policymaking', 'Innovative education-oriented platform', and 'managing barriers of innovative educational approaches'. CONCLUSIONS: Developing and implementing innovative educational approaches entail providing appropriate context, structure, and required facilities by the policymaking system and educational authorities. In addition, developing capacity and related competencies of faculty members and students as the major stakeholders in employing these approaches is crucial.

Implementation and evaluation of extracurricular theme for undergraduate basic sciences medical courses at Shiraz Medical School.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, to achieve the fundamental goal of educating meta-competent future medical doctors, varieties of educational methods have been proposed in all medical schools. In Shiraz Medical School, we implemented an extracurricular theme focusing mostly on medical education's psychosocial aspect. This study aims to discuss the implementation and evaluation of this extracurricular theme. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study is a descriptive-analytic one; we included all undergraduate medical students in basic sciences courses who started medical education in 2014 and 2015 in Shiraz Medical School. The evaluation tools were questionnaires designed in different formats and handed out to medical students before and after the workshops. Data were analyzed by paired sample t-test in SPSS Software Version 23. RESULTS: Students' satisfaction was more than 60% in all items of all workshops, except in some items of studying and learning methods and research methods workshops, which were lower than 60%. Students' knowledge about all aspects of communication skills, stress management, critical thinking, studying and learning methods, and research methods workshops improved significantly after participation in these workshops. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students can become meta-competent future medical doctors. They can reach all of the learning outcomes described in the three-circle model of learning. This goal cannot be achieved by implementing a medical curriculum which only contains medical literature. Some extracurricular issues based on students' and societies' requirements must be added to the main curriculum. The whole curriculum must be evaluated continuously, and required changes must be applied.

Comparison between students' self-assessment, and visual and digital assessment techniques in dental anatomy wax-up grading.

INTRODUCTION: Digital technology has the potential to provide a bias-free evaluation instrument for practical examination grading. E4D Compare software was designed for teaching institutions to allow comparison between scanned models prepared by students and master models prepared by instructors. The aim of this study was to determine the tolerance value for the E4D compare software (E4D Technologies LLC, Richardson, TX, USA) that provides scores comparable with faculty grades for wax-ups #23 and #19. Additionally, this study sought to assess the correlation between students' self-assessments, visual and digital grades and the reliability of the software. METHODS: Student wax-ups (n = 112) were uploaded into the software and then compared with faculty-generated master wax-ups. Digital grading was performed at tolerances 200-800 µm in 50 µm increments and was repeated twice. RESULTS: A tolerance of 350 µm was the closest to faculty grades for #23 and 500 µm was the closest for #19. Visual and digital grades showed moderate to high correlation for both wax-ups. Correlations between students' self-assessments and visual and digital grades improved with #19 versus #23. A near-perfect correlation was found between grades at the first and second digital grading sessions. CONCLUSIONS: The tolerance that closely matches faculty grades differs according to the tooth type. The software provided consistent grades and correlated well with faculty grades. Students' self-assessment skills improved as they proceeded throughout the course. Further studies are necessary to ascertain the role of the software in improving students' self-assessment skills.

Validation of an instructional module to help dental students learn to avoid plagiarism.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to validate the learning effectiveness of an instructional module in helping first-year dental students and international graduate advanced standing students learn to avoid plagiarism in their scientific writing. METHOD: The module was administered to a total of 226 first year dental students (157 at the University of Pittsburgh, in 2018 and 2019; 69 at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in 2019), and a total of 102 international graduate advanced standing students at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in 2019 and 2020. Psychometric analysis of the module's test items confirmed reliability and validity. RESULTS: An independent sample t-test performed on the module pretest scores determined that the first -year dental students entered their programs with more knowledge about plagiarism than the international graduate advanced standing students. Mean differences were calculated between pretest and posttest scores for each group and indicated that the module was equally effective at helping both groups learn to avoid plagiarism. An independent sample t-test compared the posttest mean scores of the 2 groups and determined that the first -year students achieved a greater learning outcome from the module. An independent sample t-test for Equality of Means with Levene's Test for Equality of Variances were performed to compare the mean differences between posttest and pretest scores for the 2 groups. These tests indicated that the 2 groups learned to avoid plagiarism at the same rate. CONCLUSIONS: The instructional module proved to be valid, reliable, effective, and time-efficient in improving student knowledge about avoiding plagiarism.

IUPS Physiology Education Workshop series in India: organizational mechanics, outcomes, and lessons.

Active learning promotes the capacity of problem solving and decision making among learners. Teachers who apply instructional processes toward active participation of learners help their students develop higher order thinking skills. Due to the recent paradigm shift toward adopting competency-based curricula in the education of healthcare professionals in India, there is an emergent need for physiology instructors to be trained in active-learning methodologies and to acquire abilities to promote these curriculum changes. To address these issues, a series of International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS) workshops on physiology education techniques in four apex centers in India was organized in November 2018 and November 2019. The "hands-on" workshops presented the methodologies of case-based learning, problem-based learning, and flipped classroom; the participants were teachers of basic sciences and human and veterinary medicine. The workshop series facilitated capacity building and creation of a national network of physiology instructors interested in promoting active-learning techniques. The workshops were followed by a brainstorming meeting held to assess the outcomes. The aim of this report is to provide a model for implementing a coordinated series of workshops to support national curriculum change and to identify the organizational elements essential for conducting an effective Physiology Education workshop. The essential elements include a highly motivated core organizing team, constant dialogue between core organizing and local organizing committees, a sufficient time frame for planning and execution of the event, and opportunities to engage students at host institutions in workshop activities.

Developing occupational therapists' capabilities for decision-making capacity assessments: how does a support role facilitate workplace learning?

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare practitioners are required to develop capabilities in an effective and efficient manner. Yet, developing capabilities in healthcare settings can be challenging due to the unpredictable nature of practice and increasing workloads. Unsurprisingly, healthcare practitioner development is often situated outside of practice, for example in formal teaching sessions. Supporting practitioners to develop capabilities through engagement with day-to-day practice, whilst advantageous in terms of authenticity and being highly valued, remains a key challenge for healthcare educators. This qualitative interview study aimed to explain, from the learner's perspective, how a dedicated support role develops occupational therapists' capability to contribute to decision-making capacity assessments. METHODS: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 occupational therapists. Informed by workplace learning theory, interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis process. RESULTS: Participants provided rich descriptions of how they developed in their capability to engage in decision-making capacity assessments. Participants reported that their learning was facilitated by the dedicated support role in three key ways: 1) structuring a journey of learning, 2) providing tailored guidance, and 3) fostering a supportive learning environment. DISCUSSION: Participants valued the authentic workplace learning opportunities afforded by the dedicated support role. Findings suggest that capabilities, such as decision-making capacity assessment, can be developed through practice when enriched by a dedicated support role. However, further research examining the sustainability and transferability of this model and its application to other capabilities are warranted.

Building and Exploitation of Learning Curves to Train Radiographer Students in X-Ray CT Image Postprocessing.

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to construct learning curves related to the realization of standardized postprocessing by radiographer students and to discuss their exploitation and interest. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was carried out in 21 French students in their 3rd year of training. Two postprocessing protocols in CT (#1 traumatic shoulder; #2 petrous bone) were repeated 15 times by each student. Each achievement was timed to obtain overall learning curves. The realization accuracy was also assessed for each student at each repetition. RESULTS: The learning rates for the two protocols are 63% and 56%, respectively. The number of repetitions to reach the reference time for each protocol is 11 and 12, respectively. In both protocols, the standard deviations are significantly reduced and stabilized during repetitions. The mean accuracy progresses more quickly in protocol #1. DISCUSSION: The measured learning rates reflect a rapid learning process for each protocol. The analysis of the standard deviations shows that students have reached a homogeneous level. The average times and accuracies measured during the last repetitions show that the group has reached a high level of performance. Building learning curves helps students measure their progress and motivates them. CONCLUSION: Obtaining learning curves allows trainers/supervisors to qualify the learning difficulty of a task while motivating students/radiographers. The use of learning curves is inline with the competency-based training paradigm.

Facilitators and barriers to education for chiropractic students with visual impairment.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to document the academic experiences of students with visual impairment in a doctor of chiropractic program. METHODS: Ten participants were recruited, including 3 students who are "legally blind," 2 student notetakers, 3 faculty members who taught students with visual impairment, and 2 staff members from the Disability Services Office. For this qualitative study, the students were recruited through the Disability Services Office. The participants were audiotaped during approximately 1-hour interviews conducted in a semistructured manner within a private setting (a quiet office) on the campus during office hours. Thematic analysis was conducted using a deductive method for codes and an inductive method for themes. RESULTS: We identified facilitators and barriers to the education of students with visual impairment. Notable facilitators were planning for accessible educational materials, accessibility of workable space, and support systems, such as notetakers and close interaction with faculty. Notable barriers were attitudes of students with visual impairment toward their education, lack of personnel training, and lack of disability awareness in the campus community. CONCLUSION: Meticulous planning of resources and communication are key to enriching academic experiences of students with visual impairment.

A novel online platform promotes asynchronous class preparation and thought transparency.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Engaging all learners with self-directed class preparation materials can be challenging. The purpose of this study is to assess student perceptions of a novel app and web-based program, Practice Improvement using Virtual Online Training (PIVOT) as a preparatory tool in a pharmacy therapeutics course. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: PIVOT was designed to encourage self-directed information gathering, group collaboration, and problem-solving prior to classes. Students accessed PIVOT to obtain patient information and provide responses to questions. A semi-structured large group case discussion, facilitated by the instructor, followed the preparatory assignment. All students were invited to participate in pre-/post-activity online surveys to evaluate their experiences. FINDINGS: One hundred and ten students (92.4%) completed both surveys. Students identified viewing/comparing answers with classmates (73%), enforcing preparation (51%), and asynchronous preparation (51%) as useful aspects of PIVOT. Working with a group (42%) and organizing patient information (32%) were selected as negative aspects of PIVOT. More than half of students preferred not to use PIVOT for class preparation, but 41% of students would like to see PIVOT integrated in their therapeutics courses. SUMMARY: Integrating PIVOT into a pharmacy therapeutics course resulted in mixed student perceptions. Several helpful aspects of this platform were identified and a majority suggested drawbacks that are also common features of actual pharmacy practice. Implementing PIVOT in a different learning context may improve student perceptions.

Exploring the implications of a self-care assignment to foster undergraduate nursing student mental health: Findings from a survey research study.

BACKGROUND: Nursing students experience numerous personal, academic, and practice-related stressors, impacting their mental health. Nursing programs often contribute to student stress and should incorporate strategies to support students' mental health. Self-care has the potential to enhance students' ability to manage current stressors and to build capacity for addressing future stress and burnout; however, the concept has been limitedly integrated into nursing education. OBJECTIVES: To examine students' responses to a self-care assignment integrated into core nursing coursework. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using an online survey. SETTINGS: An accelerated two-year undergraduate nursing program in Western Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Undergraduate nursing students in first- and second-year of a two-year program. METHODS: A 16-question survey, including closed- and open-ended response fields was developed by the research team. Survey questions were grounded in Bloom's Cognitive, Psychomotor, and Affective learning domains to comprehensively examine the impact of the assignment on students' learning and self-care capacity. RESULTS: 89 participants completed the survey (49% response rate). Participants' increase in self-care practices pre- and post-assignment was statistically significant (p = 0.023). Results further demonstrate that students' knowledge of self-care and capacity to identify and manage stressors were enhanced. Participants reported that overall the assignment supported their well-being. However, some participants described that aspects of the assignment detracted from well-being, including challenges with grading and feelings of guilt when not practicing self-care. CONCLUSIONS: A self-care assignment is an effective strategy for nursing educators to foster students' capacity to cope with stressors.

Creating an Efficient Learning Model: Students' Perceptions and Outcomes of an Active Learning Fixed Prosthodontics Course.

With the extensive amount of learning required in dental schools, educators are constantly seeking more efficient learning models. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate a fixed prosthodontics course after its curriculum transitioned from a traditional lecture format to an active learning structure over the course of five years. In this retrospective, mono-centered study completed in 2018 at a U.S. dental school, data from the school's fixed prosthodontics course exams, National Board Dental Examination Part II (NBDE II), and the operative portion of the Western Regional Examining Board (WREB) licensure exam were collected for 381 students from the inaugural Class of 2015 to the Class of 2019. Data were evaluated for two groups based on method of instruction: the Classes of 2015 and 2016 were taught in a traditional model, and the Classes of 2017-19 were taught in the modified learning model. The data showed a 30% reduction in time students spent in the classroom and simulation clinic as compared to the previous model. The modified learning model reduced time spent in lecture, length of the course, and number of projects needed, while student performance remained consistent. Students in the active learning classes were able to pass all assessments including practical examinations at the same rate as previous classes using traditional learning methods. Students' performance on standardized national exams (NBDE II and WREB licensure exams) remained consistent among the graduating classes, and scores were comparable to the national average. Although limited in scope, this study suggests that it is possible to reduce contact time in fixed prosthodontics and maintain performance by increasing student engagement through active learning techniques.

Patterns of verbal interaction and student satisfaction within a clinical setting: A video-enhanced observational study.

BACKGROUND: The increasingly competitive global higher education sector recognises the impact of teaching quality and a strong student voice. This means that student satisfaction is under increasing scrutiny; however, little is known about how clinical teachers actually teach. At present, the relationship between actual patterns of individual dental student-clinician interaction and student satisfaction is unclear. AIM: To investigate the relationship between patterns of verbal interaction and individual student satisfaction, during dental clinical teaching encounters. METHODS: A total of 150 patterns of verbal interactions between Stage 2 (BDS and Hygiene and Therapy, n = 86) students and clinical teaching staff were recorded within a clinical skills environment in a Dental School in the United Kingdom. Verbal interaction analysis (VIA) was used as a basis for recording full verbal interactions between students and skills teachers. RESULTS: The length of the encounter, the amount of praise/encouragement, the level of criticism, the number of questions asked and the proportion of student talk were significant predictors of student satisfaction. The proportions of time spent with the teacher talking, time spent in silence and time spent examining the patient or clinical work were not significant predictors of student satisfaction. Further, the degree to which the teacher lectured or gave direction was not a significant predictor of student satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: A number of observed behaviours correlated significantly with increased satisfaction. Praise and the acceptance of student ideas are required to offset high levels of criticism, and the encounter seems to require structure from the clinician with an emphasis on indirect influence rather than just lecturing.

Nursing and midwifery students' experiences with the course of infertility and assisted reproductive techniques: A focus group study from Turkey.

Nurses and midwifes without sufficient knowledge of infertilitare not likely to provide counseling and support for people suffering from infertility. This study aimed to evaluate nursing and midwifery students' experiences with the Course on Infertility and Assisted Reproductive Techniques. Our study had a qualitative descriptive design. Total number of the participants was 75. The analysis revealed five primary themes and twenty-one sub-themes. The themes were (1) action, (2) learner centered method, (3) interaction, (4) nursing competencies, and (5) evaluation. The active learning techniques enabled the students to retrieve the knowledge that they obtained for a long time, contributed to social and cultural development and improved skills required for selfevaluation, communication and leadership, enhanced critical thinking, skills increased motivation and satisfaction and helped with knowledge integration. Infertility is a biopsychosocial condition, and it may be difficult for students to understand what infertile individuals experience. The study revealed that active learning techniques enabled the students to acquire not only theoretical knowledge but also an emotional and psychosocial viewpoint and attitude regarding infertility. The content of an infertility course should be created in accordance with changes in the needs of a given society and educational techniques.

An Echocardiography Training Program for Improving the Left Ventricular Function Interpretation in Emergency Department; a Brief Report.

INTRODUCTION: Focused training in transthoracic echocardiography enables emergency physicians (EPs) to accurately estimate the left ventricular function. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a brief training program utilizing standardized echocardiography video clips in this regard. METHODS: A before and after design was used to determine the efficacy of a 1 hour echocardiography training program using PowerPoint presentation and standardized echocardiography video clips illustrating normal and abnormal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as well as video clips emphasizing the measurement of mitral valve E-point septal separation (EPSS). Pre- and post-test evaluation used unique video clips and asked trainees to estimate LVEF and EPSS based on the viewed video clips. RESULTS: 21 EPs with no prior experience with the echocardiographic technical methods completed this study. The EPs had very limited prior echocardiographic training. The mean score on the categorization of LVEF estimation improved from 4.9 (95% CI: 4.1-5.6) to 7.6 (95%CI: 7-8.3) out of a possible 10 score (p<0.0001). Categorization of EPSS improved from 4.1 (95% CI: 3.1-5.1) to 8.1 (95% CI: 7.6- 8.7) after education (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate a statistically significant improvement of EPs' ability to categorize left ventricular function as normal or depressed, after a short lecture utilizing a commercially available DVD of standardized echocardiography clips.