Effectiveness of a Transesophageal Echocardiography Course

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Medical Simulation
• Echocardiography

Background:

• Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is vital for managing critically ill patients.
• A need exists for effective training programs in critical care TEE for healthcare professionals.
• Developing specialized training is crucial for enhancing patient care in critical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a 1-day simulation-based training course.
• To assess skill acquisition in performing critical care TEE.
• To determine the impact of focused training on critical care echocardiography proficiency.

Main Methods:

• A 1-day course combined simulation-based image acquisition with small-group image interpretation.
• Participants used a transesophageal simulator for hands-on training.
• Skill assessment occurred pre- and post-course for both image acquisition and interpretation.

Main Results:

• The course included 27 participants.
• Knowledge scores significantly improved from 55 to 88 (P < .0005).
• Image acquisition scores markedly increased from 3.6 to 9.9 (P < .0001).

Conclusions:

• A 1-day critical care TEE course effectively enhances technical skills.
• Combining simulation-based training with case-based interpretation improves knowledge.
• This training approach is beneficial for critical care professionals.