Ultrasound-guided Nerve Block Training Model and Evaluation Method

Standardized Assessment of Emergency Physician Ultrasound-guided Nerve Block Training Using a Low-fidelity Simulation Model

The aim of this study is to assess emergency medicine physician knowledge and technical skill in performance of ultrasound-guided serratus anterior nerve block in a low-fidelity simulation model workshop and to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of the training program. By performing this study, the investigators hope to create a standardized training model which could potentially facilitate POCUS and critical procedural performance and thereby improve patient care.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Nerve Blocks; Medical Education in Emergency Ultrasound; Medical Education, Simulation, Crisis Resource Management
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: ultrasound education and simulation workshop

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 86
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27710
      • Duke University School of Medicine

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Emergency medicine attending and resident physicians

Exclusion Criteria:

• ED nursing, ED technicians, and advanced practice physicians (APPs)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Emergency Medicine attending physicians and residents	Behavioral: ultrasound education and simulation workshop; workshop testing emergency physician knowledge and technical skills in performing ultrasound-guided nerve blocks in a simulation model

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Physician knowledge assessment	The investigators will assess ultrasound-guided serratus anterior nerve block in a simulation model using surveys at 1 month pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention (Likert scale 0-5 with values of Strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, strongly agree)	4 months
Physician technical skills assessment	The investigators will assess ultrasound-guided serratus anterior nerve block in a simulation model using surveys at 1 month pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention (Likert scale 0-5 with values of Strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, strongly agree).	4 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
acceptability of our implementation strategy	The investigators will evaluate EM physician education and simulation workshop implementation strategy acceptability using a post-intervention survey (Likert scale 0-5 with values of Strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, strongly agree).	4 months
appropriateness of our implementation strategy	The investigators will evaluate EM physician education and simulation workshop implementation strategy appropriateness using a post-intervention survey (Likert scale 0-5 with values of Strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, strongly agree).	4 months
feasibility of our implementation strategy	The investigators will evaluate EM physician education and simulation workshop implementation strategy feasibility using a post-intervention survey (Likert scale 0-5 with values of Strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, strongly agree).	4 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Duke University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Petrosoniak A, Herold J, Woolfrey K. Emergency medicine procedural skills: what are residents missing? CJEM. 2013 Jul;15(4):241-8. doi: 10.2310/8000.2013.130897.
• Sherbino J, Bandiera G, Frank JR. Assessing competence in emergency medicine trainees: an overview of effective methodologies. CJEM. 2008 Jul;10(4):365-71. doi: 10.1017/s1481803500010381.

Helpful Links

• ACGME guidelines
• ACEP emergency ultrasound guidelines
• IFEM point-of-care-ultrasound guidelines

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 14, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 5, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): June 5, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 12, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 12, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): January 23, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): August 26, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 22, 2025
• Last Verified: April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Disease Attributes; Emergencies
• Other Study ID Numbers: Pro00114989

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: All participant information will be confidential and restricted to the research study team. Deidentified summary data will be made available after study completion for public and scientific community dissemination and future clinical improvements.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No