ABSTRACT
Background Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (USGRA) is increasingly being incorporated into ED clinical practice to provide pain control for a variety of traumatic injuries. The serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) has been shown to be effective at reducing intravenous opioid use and improving pulmonary function for patients with rib fractures, but there is limited prior research about how to safely teach this procedure to emergency medicine (EM) residents. Our goal was to examine the effect of a cadaver-based education model on EM residents' confidence in performing USGRA and provide a review of commonly encountered errors. Methods EM residents participated in a half-day cadaver-based education session that included a variety of less-commonly performed procedures including SAPB and fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) USGRA. Residents received a didactic lecture and hands-on simulation practice during the month prior to the session. During the session, residents performed a SAPB and FICB on the cadaver patient using the same nerve block kit and ultrasound machine they would use for a living patient, with 1:1 supervision by an emergency ultrasound fellowship-trained physician who provided real-time feedback during the procedure. Representative ultrasound video clips were saved and reviewed. Surveys that were completed by residents after the session were analyzed. Results There were 23 residents who participated, and most had not performed any FICB (74%) or SAPB (87%) previously. The percentage of residents comfortable with general USGRA increased from 8.7% to 91.3% (p<0.001). Comfort with FICB increased from 9.1% to 77.3% (p<0.001), and comfort with SAPB increased from 9.1% to 77.3% (p<0.001). Instructors identified and corrected several common errors, such as overly aggressive needle insertion, instillation of air, and instillation of anesthetic into muscle rather than the fascial plane. Conclusion We found that a cadaver-based education model for teaching EM residents the SAPB and the FICB was associated with significant increases in resident confidence in performing the procedure and facilitated identification and correction of common procedural errors that may otherwise have gone undetected.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The Coyote Clinic is a student-run clinic that provides free services to Sioux Falls residents without insurance. It has not historically provided routine women's health screenings. The project addressed this lack of preventative care. We aimed to increase the percentage of female patients that are up to date on Papanicolaou (Pap) smears, mammograms, and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines through the implementation of screening questions. METHODS: A screening questionnaire was created and asked to female patients between the ages of 18-65 about the dates and results of their last Pap smear, mammogram, and the administration of any HPV vaccine. RESULTS: 27 patients answered the questions. Fifty-two percent were Caucasian, 26 percent Hispanic, 15 percent African American, and 7 percent Middle Eastern. Two patients were eligible for HPV vaccination: one had not received the vaccination and the other was unknown. All 27 women were eligible for Pap smears. Seventy-six percent had normal results, 19 percent were unsure of their results, and 5 percent had abnormal results. Eight patients were eligible for mammograms: five were up to date, two were tested in the last three years, and one had an unknown test date. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of eligible female patients were up to date on Pap smears and mammograms. The health maintenance questionnaire was a valuable resource for patient care, patient health literacy, and medical student education.
