From Classroom to Practice: Boosting ENP Proficiency With Online POCUS Training.

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Medical Education
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is vital in emergency medicine for decision-making and patient outcomes.
• POCUS training is standard for fellows but underdeveloped for Emergency Nurse Practitioners (ENPs), lacking standardized assessment.
• The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) suggests online didactics to complement hands-on POCUS training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance POCUS training for ENPs by integrating ACEP's online modules into an existing sonogram program.
• To assess the impact of online didactic modules on ENP confidence and proficiency in POCUS skills.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a blended learning approach for POCUS education in ENP programs.

Main Methods:

• A pilot project incorporated ACEP's online POCUS modules into the ENP sonogram program.
• Former ENP students (traditional training) and current ENP students (online modules + labs) completed confidence surveys.
• Proficiency in performing Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (eFAST) exams was assessed on live models.

Main Results:

• Significant confidence increases were observed in eFAST (28.57%), echocardiograms (25%), and ocular sonograms (41.67%).
• A decrease in confidence for vascular access (16%) was noted, attributed to reduced dedicated time.
• ENP students using the new training method showed improved eFAST exam proficiency on live models.

Conclusions:

• Integrating online modules into ENP POCUS training is a cost-effective way to deliver didactic content.
• This blended approach allows for increased hands-on practice time, improving skill acquisition.
• Enhanced POCUS training for ENPs can improve diagnostic capabilities and patient care in emergency settings.