Teaching Ultrasound-Guided Venous Cannulation to Newly Qualified Doctors

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Vascular Access
• Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Background:

• Venous cannulation is a critical procedure for fluid and medication administration.
• Newly qualified doctors (Foundation Year 1) often face challenges performing venous cannulation.
• Ultrasound guidance enhances cannulation success but requires specific training, which is not universally integrated into medical curricula.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a short, near-peer led teaching session on ultrasound-guided venous cannulation for FY1 doctors.
• To assess the impact of the training on FY1 doctors' confidence, practical application, and success rates in performing the procedure.

Main Methods:

• Forty-eight FY1 doctors participated in a one-hour ultrasound-guided venous cannulation teaching session.
• Participants completed pre- and post-training questionnaires, with a follow-up survey conducted three months later.
• Data collected included confidence levels, procedure attempts, success rates, and escalation of cases to senior staff.

Main Results:

• Confidence in ultrasound-guided venous cannulation increased significantly, from 6.66% pre-training to 44.44% at follow-up.
• The number of cannulation attempts by FY1s increased from 6 to 63 in the month prior to follow-up.
• Success rates improved to 60% (38/63) post-training, with a one-third reduction in escalations to senior doctors.

Conclusions:

• A concise, near-peer educational intervention effectively enhances FY1 doctors' proficiency in ultrasound-guided venous cannulation.
• The training positively impacts confidence, procedural volume, and success rates, reducing the need for senior support.
• Availability of ultrasound equipment on wards remains a key factor for sustained implementation.