Point of Care Ultrasound Bladder Volume Calculation on the Acute Medical Unit

Area of Science:

• Medical Ultrasound
• Point-of-Care Diagnostics
• Healthcare Education

Background:

• Accurate bladder volume measurement is crucial for patient management on Acute Medical Units (AMU).
• Traditional automated scanners may lack user confidence compared to visual methods.
• Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) offers a portable, visually-aided diagnostic approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and impact of a brief POCUS training session for nursing staff and healthcare assistants (HCAs).
• To compare staff confidence in bladder volume measurement using a semi-automated POCUS device versus existing automated scanners.
• To evaluate the practicability of integrating POCUS bladder volume measurement into routine clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• A 20-minute training session on using the Butterfly iQ portable ultrasound device for bladder volume measurement was conducted.
• Staff (nursing, HCAs, healthcare professionals) on the AMU at Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH) participated.
• Confidence levels in using both the semi-automated POCUS device and AMU automated scanners were measured using a Likert scale post-training.

Main Results:

• Post-training, staff reported significantly higher confidence in using the semi-automated POCUS (Butterfly iQ) for bladder volume measurement compared to automated scanners (t < 0.001).
• The training intervention required minimal time and expense.
• The POCUS skill was deemed easy and practicable for healthcare professionals.

Conclusions:

• A brief POCUS training session effectively enhances healthcare staff confidence in performing bladder volume measurements.
• The portable, semi-automated Butterfly iQ offers a more confidence-inspiring method for bladder volume assessment compared to traditional automated scanners.
• POCUS training for bladder visualisation and volume calculation is a practical and beneficial addition to healthcare professional education.