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Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus
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Lung sounds: how doctors draw crackles and wheeze.
Gregory Scott1, Edward J Presswood, Boikanyo Makubate
1Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Hammersmith Hospital, , London, UK.
Postgraduate Medical Journal
|August 6, 2013
Summary
Doctors
Area of Science:
- Medical communication
- Clinical documentation
- Diagnostic imaging
Background:
- Medical records can lead to miscommunication among clinicians.
- Doctors' written notes are often illegible and ambiguous.
- The use of drawings for auscultation findings has not been studied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare how doctors draw identical auscultation findings.
- To assess the consistency and clarity of doctors' drawings.
- To identify potential misinterpretations in clinical documentation.
Main Methods:
- Doctors from a hospital and general practitioners (GPs) drew auscultation findings.
- Drawings depicted bilateral wheeze and right lower zone crackles.
- Graphical properties, symbols, shading, and labels were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Ten distinct drawing styles were identified among 78 drawings.
- Inconsistent use of symbols and shading was observed.
- The symbol 'X' was used variably for crackles and wheeze.
Conclusions:
- Significant variation exists in doctors' drawings of auscultation findings.
- Inconsistent symbol meanings risk misinterpretation.
- Clear labeling or written descriptions are recommended for accurate communication.
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