Challenges and opportunities in point-of-care ultrasound: A qualitative exploration of respiratory physiotherapists' experiences of lung ultrasound training and its adoption in critical care

An international survey exploring the adoption and utility of diagnostic lung ultrasound by physiotherapists and respiratory therapists in intensive care

Introduction

Lung ultrasound (LUS) is an emerging assessment tool for intensive care unit (ICU) therapists (physiotherapists, physical therapists and respiratory therapists) to aid pathology identification, intervention selection, clinical reasoning and as an outcome measure to assess intervention efficacy. However, the extent of LUS adoption and use by ICU therapists internationally has not been described in the literature.

Objectives

This survey explored the interest in LUS amongst ICU therapists internationally. In addition, LUS training, use in clinical practice and barriers to implementation were also explored. The survey findings were used to facilitate recommendations for future adoption.

Methods

International ICU therapists were invited to answer a 37 question cross-sectional open e-survey, distributed using the online survey tool REDCap®. The exact sample size of eligible ICU therapists from around the world is unknown, therefore the participant responses received were a representative convenience sample of the international ICU therapist population. Survey links were posted on the relevant web pages and social media forums utilised by various ICU therapist associations and professional organisations worldwide. A snowballing technique was used to encourage survey participants to forward the survey link within their professional networks. The survey was open on REDCap® for an 8-week period between March and May 2021.

Results

Three hundred twenty ICU therapists from 30 countries responded with most respondents coming from either the United Kingdom (n = 94) or Australia (n = 87). Eighty-nine of the ICU therapist respondents (30%) reported being users of LUS, however, 40 of those 89 respondents reported having no formal accreditation. The top clinical indications to perform a LUS scan were changes on chest radiograph, altered findings on auscultation and a low partial pressure of arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio. The 71% of LUS users reported that their ICU does not have a local policy in place to guide ICU therapists' use of LUS. Most LUS users (82%) only document their LUS findings in the patient's medical notes and (73%) only store the LUS clips on the ICU's ultrasound machine. The 85% of respondents perceive LUS becoming an increasing part of their objective assessment in the future and 96% report that they have other ICU therapist colleagues interested in adopting LUS. Main reasons why respondents believe that ICU therapists are not adopting LUS in their ICU are a difficulty in access to appropriate training, mentorship, and a lack of local governance policy guiding their use of LUS.

Conclusions

To the authors' knowledge this is the first study to explore the international adoption and utility of LUS by ICU therapists. LUS is a growing technique with widespread interest from ICU therapists internationally with a desire to adopt LUS into their assessments and upskill their practice. ICU therapists' use of LUS could allow more targetted and appropriate treatment for patients on ICU. Barriers to LUS adoption could be mitigated by having access to quality training programmes and mentorship. Development of profession specific guidance and policies within local infrastructure should facilitate growth and ensure robust quality assurance and governance processes.

Implementation of physiotherapy-led lung ultrasound in the intensive care unit

The use of lung ultrasound (LUS) in clinical settings is emerging as an important tool in the assessment of lung pathology and/or function and has gained considerable acceptance. LUS is being integrated into clinical care by trained respiratory physiotherapists and has been shown to influence physiotherapists' clinical decision-making in the respiratory management of patients. Considering the use of LUS by physiotherapy is in its infancy and still evolving, there is likely variability in the ability and confidence of physiotherapists to use LUS in clinical practice, both in Australia and internationally. While the UK has had a rapid increase in the number of LUS-accredited physiotherapists (n  = 111), the number of LUS-accredited physiotherapists in Australia remains very low (n  = 4). There is a growing body of work in the UK on physiotherapy-led LUS in respiratory care, however, there is currently little work published on the practicalities of training and establishing physiotherapy-led LUS in Australia. This report describes the training and implementation of physiotherapy-led LUS in the intensive care unit from a regional hospital perspective.

Interrater reliability in assigning a lung ultrasound score

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Lung ultrasound (LUS) for physiotherapists is an emerging bedside tool. The LUS score of aeration presents as a possible means of assessing and monitoring lung aeration associated with respiratory physiotherapy treatments. There are no studies to date that have assessed the interrater reliability (IRR) of physiotherapists assigning the LUS score of aeration. This study assessed the IRR of assigning the LUS score among adult, mechanically ventilated patients in an intensive care unit with a clinical suspicion of acute lobar atelectasis.

METHODS

A convenience sample of patients had an LUS performed by a physiotherapist, and images were independently reviewed by two physiotherapists. Each lung zone was assigned an LUS score between 0 and 3 (with 0 being normal aeration and 3 being complete consolidation, presence of effusion, or pneumothorax). IRR was assessed using the kappa statistic.

RESULTS

A total of 1032 LUS images were obtained. Assigning of the LUS across all lung zones demonstrated substantial agreement with kappa 0.685 (95% confidence interval: 0.650, 0.720). Right (0.702 [0.653, 0.751]) and left (0.670 [0.619, 0.721]) lung zones also demonstrated substantial agreement.

CONCLUSION

We found substantial IRR between physiotherapists in assigning the LUS score in a mechanically ventilated adult population in the intensive care unit.

AUSTRALIAN NEW ZEALAND CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NUMBER

ACTRN12619000783123.

A proposed framework for point of care lung ultrasound by respiratory physiotherapists: scope of practice, education and governance

Background

Point of care ultrasound (PoCUS) has the potential to provide a step change in the management of patients across a range of healthcare settings. Increasingly, healthcare practitioners who are not medical doctors are incorporating PoCUS into their clinical practice. However, the professional, educational and regulatory environment in which this occurs is poorly developed, leaving clinicians, managers and patients at risk.

Main body

Drawing upon existing medical and non-medical literature, the authors present a proposed framework for the use of PoCUS. Throughout, mechanisms for applying the principles to other professionals and healthcare settings are signposted. Application of the framework is illustrated via one such group of healthcare practitioners and in a particular healthcare setting: respiratory physiotherapists in the UK.

In defining the point of care LUS scope of practice we detail what structures are imaged, differentials reported upon and clinical decisions informed by their imaging. This is used to outline the educational and competency requirements for respiratory physiotherapists to safely and effectively use the modality. Together, these are aligned with the regulatory (professional, legal and insurance) arrangements for this professional group in the UK.

In so doing, a comprehensive approach for respiratory physiotherapists to consolidate and expand their use of point of care LUS is presented. This provides clarity for clinicians as to the boundaries of their practice and how to train in the modality; it supports educators with the design of courses and alignment of competency assessments; it supports managers with the staffing of existing and new care pathways. Ultimately it provides greater accessibility for patients to safe and effective point of care lung ultrasound.

For clinicians who are not respiratory physiotherapists and/or are not based in the UK, the framework can be adapted to other professional groups using point of care LUS as well as other point of care ultrasound (PoCUS) applications, thereby providing a comprehensive and sustainable foundation for PoCUS consolidation and expansion.

Conclusion

This paper presents a comprehensive framework to support the use of point of care LUS by respiratory physiotherapists in the UK. Mechanisms to adapt the model to support a wide range of other PoCUS users are outlined.

Translating Ultrasound into Clinical Practice for the Assessment of Swallowing and Laryngeal Function: A Speech and Language Pathology-Led Consensus Study

Ultrasound (US) has an emerging evidence base for the assessment of swallowing and laryngeal function. Accessibility and technological advances support the use of US as a clinical assessment tool; however, there is insufficient evidence to support its translation into clinical practice. This study aimed to establish consensus on the priorities for translation of US into clinical practice for the assessment of swallowing and laryngeal function. Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was used as a formal method of consensus development. Clinicians and academics, all members of an international US working group, were invited to participate in the study. Two NGT meetings were held, where participants silently generated and then shared ideas. Participants anonymously ranked items. Rankings were aggregated before participants re-ranked items in order of priority. Discussions regarding rankings were recorded and transcribed to inform analysis. Member-checking with participants informed the final analysis. Participants (n = 15) were speech and language pathologists, physiotherapists and sonographers representing six countries. Fifteen items were identified and prioritised 1-13 (including two equally ranked items). Reliability, validity and normative data emerged as key areas for research while development of training protocols and engagement with stakeholders were considered vital to progressing US into practice. Analysis revealed common themes that might be addressed together in research, in addition to the ranked priority. A measured approach to the translation of US into clinical practice will enable effective implementation of this tool. Priorities may evolve as clinical and professional contexts shift, but this study provides a framework to advance research and clinical practice in this field.