Ultrasound Training for Emergency Medicine
The Institute for Emergency Medicine (IEM) has been providing ultrasound training to Ukrainian healthcare professionals since October 2022. The trainings are designed to teach participants how to use ultrasound to assess the hemodynamic stability of patients and diagnose abdominal injuries.
The IEM's ultrasound training program has been essential in helping to improve the quality of care for injured patients in Ukraine.
The first three trainings were held in October and November 2022. A total of 55 participants attended the trainings, which were led by experienced ultrasound instructors. Each participant received a Butterfly iQ+ pocket ultrasound for use during the training.
After the first three trainings, the IEM conducted a needs assessment and identified the need for a new emergency ultrasound protocol for abdominal trauma. The new protocol, called FAST-U, was developed in collaboration with the ELLING training center and was successfully presented at the 10th International Conference on Disaster and Military Medicine in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The IEM conducted four additional ultrasound trainings in May and June 2023. These trainings included the new FAST-U protocol and a total of 72 participants attended.
In addition to providing ultrasound training, the IEM has also assisted other charity organizations in procuring medical equipment for Ukrainian hospitals. This included incubators, infant flow devices, negative pressure wound therapy devices, spirometers, ultrasounds, mobile X-ray machines, and bronchofiberscopes. The IEM evaluated the equipment and put the organizations in contact with reliable suppliers.
The IEM's ultrasound training program has been essential in helping to improve the quality of care for injured patients in Ukraine. The trainings have helped to ensure that healthcare professionals have the skills and knowledge they need to use ultrasound to diagnose and treat injuries quickly and effectively.