Effectiveness of an Advanced Critical Care Echocardiography Course

Background: Advanced critical care echocardiography (CCE) involves comprehensive assessment of cardiac structure and function for frontline critical care applications. This study reports the effectiveness of a 3-day course in advanced CCE. Methods: We studied the outcome of 5 consecutive advanced CCE courses delivered between 2013 and 2017. A total number of 239 learners were studied. The course included didactic lectures, image interpretation sessions, and hands-on training with normal individuals as models. Training domains included left ventricular structure and function, right ventricular structure and function, valve function using comprehensive 2-dimensional imaging, and Doppler-based measurements for cardiac pressures and flows. Measurements of course outcome included pre- and postcourse assessment of knowledge, image acquisition, and image interpretation skills. Learners rotated between hands-on training and interpretation sessions. The teacher-to-learner ratio was 1:3 during hands-on training. Interpretation sessions consisted of review of normal and abnormal echocardiographic videos with interactive small groups. Learners completed a video-based knowledge assessment examination before and after completion of the course. Hands-on image acquisition skills were tested at the completion of the course during all the years. For years 2016 and 2017, a precourse hands-on skill test was also performed. Results: There was a statistically significant improvement in knowledge and image interpretation skills in the cohort of 239 learners over 5 years of study period. There was improvement in image acquisition skills over the 2-year period when it was measured pre- and postcourse. Conclusions: A 3-day course on advanced CCE resulted in improvement knowledge/image interpretation and hands-on image acquisition skills. Clinical Implications: Advanced CCE has assumed an important place in hemodynamic monitoring of critically ill patients. A course of similar design may facilitate training of frontline clinicians in advanced CCE.