Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40394683›Full record

Observational studyScandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine2025

Implementing ultrasound in emergency medical services: assessing physician proficiency and training requirements.

C Engelen, J Haack, D Lämmermann, W Hitzl, J C Kubitz, G Breuer, A Kamphausen, T Hübner

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine, 2025. 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

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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.

  1. Observational
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

8 authors.

C EngelenDepartment of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany. christian.engelen@klinikum-nuernberg.de.
J HaackDepartment of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany. Johanna.Haack@klinikum-nuernberg.de.
D LämmermannDepartment of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany.
W HitzlDepartment of Anesthesia, Sana Kliniken Oberfranken, Coburg, Bavaria, Germany.
J C KubitzDepartment of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany.
G BreuerResearch and Innovation Management (RIM), Team Biostatistics and Publication of Clinical Trial Study, Paracelsus Private Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
A KamphausenDepartment of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany.
T HübnerDepartment of Emergency Medicine, ANregiomed, Ansbach, Bavaria, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBedside ultrasound plays an important role in diagnostics and monitoring, especially in emergency medicine. Modern technology makes ultrasound available in a mobile and portable form, so it can be used even in prehospital emergency care with several interventional and diagnostic applications. This also raises the question of what kind of education and training is necessary for EMS (emergency medical services) physicians to be able to use Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in the prehospital setting.

aimsThis observational study investigates the use of prehospital POCUS in a rural EMS area. It focuses the question of what level of competence is needed for EMS physicians to use POCUS adequately in the prehospital emergency setting for correct application and interpretation of the findings.

methodThis was a quality assurance measure designed as a prospective cohort study. We investigated POCUS examinations performed by EMS physicians in the EMS Service Area of Nuremberg City, Germany between June 2021 and July 2022. Patients transported to three specific hospitals in Nuremberg city after care were followed up and the prehospital findings were compared with the in-hospital radiological results. The number of correct findings was correlated with the level of competence in POCUS examinations of the performing EMS physicians. Various classifications of competence were used to assess the influence of training and education on the safe application of prehospital POCUS.

resultsTwo hundred fifty-eight prehospital POCUS examinations were documented, with 108 followed up, including 268 sonographic findings. There was a wide range of indications for POCUS use. In 79.5% of cases the prehospital findings correspond with those in-hospital. By correlating the correct findings with the participants level of competence, there was no significant difference between POCUS-experienced and -inexperienced EMS physicians, even when divided into different categories.

conclusionPOCUS can be used in prehospital emergency care for a wide range of indications safely, with a high number of correct diagnoses and findings. Our results suggest that emergency POCUS is easy to learn and EMS physicians do not need intensive training to perform POCUS adequately in the prehospital setting. TAKE HOME MESSAGES: Mobile ultrasound appears to be useful in the prehospital setting It can be used by EMS physicians even without extensive prior experience and expertise POCUS is able to find important findings for prehospital patient's care with a high level of certainty.

Indexed as

Clinical CompetenceEmergency Medical ServicesEmergency MedicinePhysiciansPoint-of-Care SystemsAdultFemaleGermanyHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesUltrasonographyEmergency medical servicesPOCUSPrehospitalSonographyTraining

Identifiers

PMID40394683
PMCPMC12090442

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.