Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32831891›Full record

ArticleUltrasound (Leeds, England)2020

Neonatal brain ultrasound training for beginners: Could a head phantom be useful?

Antonio La Torre, Carmen Beatriz Visioli

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Ultrasound (Leeds, England), 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Antonio La TorreDepartment of Neonatology, AOU Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0860-7056
Carmen Beatriz VisioliClinical Epidemiology Unit, ISPRO, Florence, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe traditional method of teaching the technique of neonatal brain ultrasonography is based upon the interaction between the practitioner and the neonate under the supervision of a tutor. This approach has disadvantages in that it may result in a longer imaging examination and the patient may become agitated. As demand for ultrasound services escalates and departments get busier, this often means that the trainee and supervisor are under pressure to work rapidly. Such environments are common but not conducive to the development of adequate skills and competencies. A neonatal head phantom used as part of a dedicated study day could help the beginner to learn basic elements of the ultrasound examination within a safe stress-free environment. It offers the opportunity to repeat the examination as often as the trainee wishes without time pressures and the distraction of a moving and potentially very sick baby.

aimThe aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a commercial phantom as a means for the practitioner to acquire the fundamental principles of neonatal brain ultrasound.

methodA total of 17 participants attending a one day neonatal ultrasound course aimed at beginners were invited to complete a short two-part questionnaire that assessed their perceived improvement in scanning ability before and after using a commercially available head phantom.

resultsOf the 14 returned questionnaires, the overall perceived understanding, ability and confidence improved and anxiety levels about the procedure fell. The median pre-training score was 9.0 compared with the median post-training score of 12.0 (P = 0.005, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). At least 79% (up to 86%) of participants valued their experience with the phantom and would recommend the course to colleagues. Furthermore, about two-thirds reported that they would like to have additional practise with the phantom. Preliminary data from this study suggest that beginners found the head phantom useful for mastering some of the early skills required for neonatal brain ultrasound examinations, which in turn improved their confidence and reduced anxiety.

Indexed as

cranialeducationinfantsimulatorSonography

Identifiers

PMID32831891
PMCPMC7412942

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.