JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Bedside ultrasonography, known as PoCUS (Point-of-Care Ultrasound), is a promising technological tool that enhances clinical assessment, enriching diagnostic capabilities and clinical reasoning. Its use in nursing spans various patient populations and healthcare settings, providing nurses with a valuable health assessment tool to improve care quality and patient safety. Despite its growing integration into clinical practice, PoCUS training has mainly focused on physicians, leaving a gap for trained nurses who demonstrate similar proficiency in conducting scans and interpreting images. Previous research highlights the value of digital tools in PoCUS training, showing their role in improving professionals' and students' knowledge, image interpretation skills, and clinical acumen.

Objective:

(i) Establish and evaluate evidence of content and face validity for an assessment instrument gauging nurses’ competency milestone in PoCUS; (ii) Develop and assess evidence of content and face validity for a series of five educational videos focused on PoCUS; and (iii) Construct and evaluate evidence of content and face validity for a virtual learning environment (VLE) tailored to nurses' PoCUS training needs.

Methods:

Subproject 1 will encompass a comprehensive scope review and methodological research, while subproject 2 will involve methodological research conducted across three distinct phases. Subproject 3 will undertake a methodological study of technological production guided by Rogers' Theory of Diffusion of Innovations.

Results:

Outcomes of the study are expected in early 2026.

Conclusions:

Through these concerted efforts, the project aims to bridge the existing gap in PoCUS training for nurses, thereby fostering their proficiency and enhancing patient care outcomes.