Point-of-Care Ultrasound Curriculum in Acute Care Medicine: A Protocol for a Systematic Review and/or Meta-Analysis

Abstract

BackgroundBeginning with the guidance of central line insertion, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has evolved into a more inclusive skill set to aid in the examination and management of the acutely ill patient. Published evidence, including original literature and consensus recommendations support an array of applications in the multi-disciplinary arena of acute care medicine. In parallel, we have seen multiple professional societies’ call for more POCUS training in residency. While POCUS has been received with enthusiasm in acute care medicine, there are a number of challenges to ensuring trainees can competently perform POCUS in the acute care environment. There is inconsistent evidence to support optimum practices in curriculum design, implementation, assessment, and evaluation. To help explore this gap, we are conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of current evidence regarding POCUS curricula.MethodsWe will search electronic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Ovid ERIC, Science Citation Index, and Conference Proceedings Citation Index. Further, we will search the ClinicalTrials.gov register, hand search key proceedings and check references from relevant systematic reviews. Title, abstract and full text screening for inclusion of eligible papers will be performed in duplicate, in accordance with the PRISMA statement. Included publications will be evaluated for internal validity using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) scale for educational studies. Data abstraction will be conducted using standardized forms with focus on learner population, number of participants, setting, POCUS application, methods of instruction, duration of intervention, methods of assessment, and program evaluation. Further to this, emphasis will be placed on validity arguments of assessment tools using Kane’s framework. Primary analysis will be qualitative in nature. When possible, homogenous studies will be pooled for quantitative meta-analysis.DiscussionOur systematic review will summarize the current evidence base for POCUS curriculum implementation, evaluation and assessment validity for acute care applications. We anticipate that our review will fill a critical knowledge gap, providing a sound platform for future evidence-based curriculum development.Systematic Review RegistrationOur systematic review was registered with the International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) on September 19, 2018 with registration number: CRD42018105973.