Flight Teams' Learning Needs Assessment on Ultrasound: A Mixed Methods Approach

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Medical Education
• Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Background:

• Prehospital ultrasound is emerging as a valuable tool in emergency medical services.
• Understanding flight clinicians' learning needs is crucial for effective curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the learning needs and attitudes of flight clinicians regarding a prehospital ultrasound curriculum.
• To identify preferred training modalities and address concerns about competency.

Main Methods:

• Convergent mixed methods study involving 21 prehospital clinicians.
• Utilized questionnaires and a 1-hour focus group to gather data.
• Participants were from a single emergency medical service agency.

Main Results:

• Hands-on training is highly preferred.
• Clinicians desire integrated learning during shifts and real-life practice.
• Concerns exist regarding training, competency maintenance, and quality control.

Conclusions:

• Flight clinicians are eager to use prehospital ultrasound.
• Preferred learning methods include standardized patients, simulators, and physician-led field training.
• Ongoing training and simulators are key for maintaining competency.