Developing an Educational Program for Ultrasound Hip Screening during Newborn and Infant Home Visits: A Protocol...

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Pediatric Health
• Nursing Education

Background:

• Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) requires early identification for effective treatment.
• Newborn home visits offer a community-based opportunity for hip screening.
• There is a lack of research on nurse-led ultrasound hip screening programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an ultrasound training program for nurses.
• To improve nurses' skills in assessing hip dysplasia during home visits.
• To enhance early detection of DDH in resource-limited settings.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post study design was employed.
• The educational program integrated e-learning, hands-on seminars, and clinical training.
• Outcomes included imaging success rates, knowledge tests, clinical examination scores, imaging time, and inter-rater reliability.

Main Results:

• The study demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of the nurse-led ultrasound training program.
• Improvements were observed in nurses' ability to obtain standardized hip ultrasound images.
• The program aimed to reduce missed and late diagnoses of DDH.

Conclusions:

• Nurse-led ultrasound training is effective in improving hip screening skills for DDH.
• The educational program can enhance early DDH detection in community settings.
• This initiative supports better pediatric orthopedic care through improved nursing competency.