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Volume 2023, Issue 4
  • ISSN: 1999-7086
  • EISSN: 1999-7094

Abstract

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been introduced in the training curricula of several residency programs. However, it is yet to be routinely integrated into general surgery (GS). This study aims to identify the attitudes of the GS Canadian academic community towards POCUS.

A multiple-choice survey was sent to all Canadian GS programs. The survey was comprised of three sections: baseline characteristics, current perceived knowledge of POCUS, and barriers to POCUS implementation.

The targeted sample included 609 surgeons and 593 residents (a total of 1202). Of these, 58 surgeons and 79 residents responded (11.3% response rate). Overall, only 5.2% reported using POCUS daily, and 44.8% of the staff surgeons reported never using POCUS. The most reported indications included extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma (eFAST) and the insertion of central lines. Staff surgeons were reluctant to operate solely on the findings of POCUS. The perceived sensitivity of POCUS for various surgical indications was significantly lower than that reported in the literature. Examples include diagnosing the etiology of shock where only 58.6% of staff and 50.6% of residents chose the correct answer reported in the literature for that indication. However, for diagnosing cholecystitis, only 46.6% of staff and 34% of residents responded correctly as per the literature. The majority of the residents (69.5%) believed that POCUS should be implemented in training programs. Perceived barriers to POCUS implementation included lack of time for training, lack of confidence in POCUS, and concerns about medicolegal consequences.

This study reveals the need to support POCUS training by GS residents despite their low current usage. Addressing barriers to its implementation and knowledge gaps regarding POCUS could lead to its wider adoption.

© 2023 Alhabboubi, Chughtai, Liberman, Wong, Turner, licensee HBKU Press.
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2023-12-10
2024-04-29
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http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.5339/jemtac.2023.36
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Attitudes of Canadian general surgery staff and residents towards point-of-care ultrasound
Journal of Emergency Medicine, Trauma and Acute Care 2023, 36 (2023); https://doi.org/10.5339/jemtac.2023.36
/content/journals/10.5339/jemtac.2023.36
/content/journals/10.5339/jemtac.2023.36
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Keyword(s): Canada, general surgery and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS)

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