Lung Ultrasound Training: A Scoping Review of Educational Interventions and Outcomes

Lung ultrasound (LUS) is increasingly recognised as an essential diagnostic and monitoring tool in acute and critical care. As its use grows, understanding how LUS education is designed, delivered, and evaluated for practicing healthcare professionals has become essential.

To map the evidence on educational interventions for LUS training, focusing on study characteristics, instructional strategies, and learning outcomes.

This scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. It identified and charted studies on LUS training for practicing healthcare professionals. Data extraction covered study characteristics, learner profiles, instructional strategies, instructor credentials, training duration and setting, and learning outcomes, categorised using the New World Kirkpatrick Model.

Thirty eight studies involving physicians, paramedics, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, and nurses met inclusion criteria. Most interventions combined didactic teaching with hands-on practice, including supervised scanning and simulation. Training was typically brief (median duration = 3.5 h). Outcomes focused mainly on learning (Level 2: 86.8%) and less often on behaviour (Level 3: 47.4%). Considerable variation in educational designs and outcome measures limited cross-study comparisons, and few studies assessed long-term retention or clinical impact.

Current LUS training uses multimodal approaches that integrate theory with supervised practice. However, programs and assessments remain heterogeneous and rarely theory-informed. Future research should strengthen pedagogical foundations, align evaluation with competency frameworks, and examine learning sustainability, interprofessional training, and patient-centred outcomes to support effective and scalable LUS education.