POCUS champions often learn by either formal education or years of clinical practice. Health systems can enlist those champions to educate their peers on this technology. This will create a domino effect of POCUS users across the health system.

When the nursing staff at Alameda Health System wanted to integrate POCUS for improved success of difficult intravenous (IV) access, a “train the trainer” program was developed. About 5-10 nurses were trained in-person over a one-hour course. These nurses then trained their colleagues during clinical work, with approximately 50% of nurses in the emergency department meeting.

Over time, more and more physicians will have the skills needed to use POCUS. With greater adoption comes greater benefits to patients — once POCUS is viewed by the whole medical community as part and parcel to patient care, clinicians will see POCUS incorporated into their jobs more fully and supported by institutions with greater attention to their needs, both at present and into the future.
POCUS solutions and education must be as simple as possible to drive adoption. As more physicians embrace this technology, we will see improved clinical care and clear patient benefits.

About the author: Dr. Arun Nagdev is senior director clinical education at Exo.

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