Training in basic clinical ultrasound for intensive care physicians as professional improvement strategy

Abstract

Introduction: Clinical ultrasound has provided notable benefits in terms of effectiveness, responsiveness, objective decisions and more beneficial actions for seriously ill patients. Objective: To evaluate a training as a strategy for professional improvement, to increase professional performance in the specific competencies of basic clinical ultrasound, of intensivist doctors. Methods: A participatory action research was carried out. The dependent variable was professional performance in the specific competencies of basic clinical ultrasound and the independent variable was training in basic Point-of-care Ultrasound (POCUS). The McNemar test was used to identify changes in professional performance; A confidence level of 99% was set, with significance level α= 0.01. Iadov's logical table was applied to calculate the group satisfaction index with the training. Results: In the cognitive (knowledge) and procedural (skills) dimensions, the greatest positive, statistically significant changes were seen, mainly in the knowledge for measuring the diameter of the optic nerve sheath and to a lesser extent, the knowledge about basic echocardiography. Improvement was identified in 13 of the 15 compared indicators (88.2%). The participants evaluated the training as satisfactory. Conclusions: Training, as a professional improvement strategy, increases performance in specific competencies in basic clinical ultrasound.

Keywords

• atención al paciente
• métodos
• ultrasonografía.