RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Training opportunities in thoracic ultrasound for respiratory trainees: are current guidelines practical?
JF BMJ Open Respiratory Research
JO BMJ Open Resp Res
FD British Thoracic Society
SP e000390
DO 10.1136/bmjresp-2018-000390
VO 6
IS 1
A1 Stanton, Andrew E
A1 Evison, Matthew
A1 Roberts, Mark
A1 Latham, Jennifer
A1 Clive, Amelia O
A1 Batalla-Duran, Elizabeth
A1 Bhatnagar, Rahul
A1 Asciak, Rachelle
A1 Diggins, Ben
A1 Bintcliffe, Oliver J
A1 Lees, Diana
A1 Parsonage, Maria
A1 Denny, Peppa
A1 Gow, Kathryn
A1 Avram, Cristina
A1 Gautam, Manish
A1 Rahman, Najib M
YR 2019
UL http://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000390.abstract
AB Introduction Respiratory trainees in the UK face challenges in meeting current Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) Level 1 training requirements for thoracic ultrasound (TUS) competence, specified as attending ‘at least one session per week over a period of no less than 3 months, with approximately five scans per session performed by the trainee (under supervision of an experienced practitioner)’. We aimed to clarify where TUS training opportunities currently exist for respiratory registrars.Methods Data were collected (over a 4-week period) to clarify the number of scans (and therefore volume of training opportunities) within radiology departments and respiratory services in hospitals in the South West, North West deaneries and Oxford.Results 14 hospitals (including three tertiary pleural centres) provided data. Of 964 scans, 793 (82.3%) were conducted by respiratory teams who performed a mean of 17.7 scans per week, versus 3.1 TUS/week in radiology departments. There was no radiology session in any hospital with ≥5 TUS performed, whereas 8/14 (86%) of respiratory departments conducted such sessions. Almost half (6/14) of radiology departments conducted no TUS scans in the period surveyed.Conclusions The currently recommended exposure of regularly attending a list or session to undertake five TUS is not achievable in radiology departments. The greatest volume of training opportunities exists within respiratory departments in a variety of scheduled and unscheduled settings. Revision of the competency framework in TUS, and where this is delivered, is required.