Continuing Education to Equip Sonographers as Interprofessional Point-Of-Care Ultrasound Educators: A Mixed Methods...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Critical Care Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is vital in critical care, but training remains a barrier.
• Sonographers possess valuable ultrasound expertise but often lack formal recognition as educators.
• There is a need to support sonographers in interprofessional teaching roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel continuing education course designed to equip sonographers for interprofessional ultrasound teaching.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the course in enhancing sonographer knowledge and confidence in teaching POCUS.
• To address the barrier of adequate ultrasound training in critical care settings.

Main Methods:

• A hybrid continuing education course was collaboratively developed by sonographers and physicians.
• The curriculum focused on POCUS integration and skills teaching in critical care.
• Pre- and post-course evaluations assessed participant knowledge and confidence, with faculty feedback also collected.

Main Results:

• Twenty-three sonographers participated, reporting significant increases in confidence for ultrasound teaching competencies (93%, p < 0.05).
• Qualitative feedback from participants and faculty was overwhelmingly positive.
• Participants found the course well-organized, engaging, and beneficial for professional development.

Conclusions:

• The piloted continuing education course successfully equipped sonographers for interprofessional ultrasound teaching in critical care.
• This program represents a unique approach to recognizing and supporting sonographers as educators.
• The course aims to benefit the broader ultrasound community by enhancing POCUS training.