Evidence Hub

Use of emergency ultrasound in United States pediatric emergency medicine fellowship programs in 2011

Marin JR, Zuckerbraun NS, Kahn JM

Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, 2012

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of and training in emergency ultrasound (US) in pediatric emergency departments (EDs) with pediatric emergency medicine (EM) fellowship programs. We hypothesized that emergency US use and pediatric EM fellow training have become widespread and that more structured training is being offered.

METHODS: A survey instrument was sent via e-mail to all 69 United States pediatric EM fellowship directors or associate directors in the spring of 2011. We used descriptive summary statistics and χ(2) tests to determine characteristics associated with having a formal emergency US training program for pediatric EM fellows.

RESULTS: The survey response rate was 87% (60 of 69). Among responding programs, 40 (67%) resided within a children's hospital (versus general ED). Fifty-one (85%) were designated level 1 pediatric trauma centers. Fifty-seven programs (95%) endorsed the use of emergency US in their EDs. Fifty-three (88%) provided at least some emergency US training to fellows, and 42 (70%) offered a structured emergency US rotation. Training has existed for a median of 3 years (interquartile range, 2-4 years). Twenty-eight programs (67%) with emergency US rotations provided fellow training in the both a general ED as well as a pediatric ED. There were no hospital or program level factors statistically associated with having a formal training program for pediatric EM fellows.

CONCLUSIONS: As of 2011, nearly all pediatric EDs…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free