No abstract

Results: A total of 30 needs assessments were completed by the study population. Of this total, 20 (66%) had never used ultrasound before in any context. 10 (33%) had used it before but only for ultrasound guided intravenous line placement. No participants had previously performed an ultrasound of the heart, lungs or neck. A total of 16 paramedics and 19 flight nurses were present for the didactic and the hands on ultrasound scanning sessions. Average score on the pretest was 40.7 % and improved to 66.3 % after training. Of 35 total participants, 33 improved their performance from pre to posttest, while 2 participants' scores decreased. Questions regarding anatomy had the poorest performance while questions regarding pathophysiology and correlation between physical exam findings and image interpretation showed the strongest performance. Conclusion: In this study, ultrasound education had a positive effect on test scores among EMS providers. Test performance reflected the learners' background focused in clinical medicine and pathology. Out-of-hospital providers performed poorly on questions identifying anatomical structures. This curriculum has implications for expansion of ultrasound education to EMS providers for earlier diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening conditions and the type of learning focus most appropriate for their background. The group of largely ultrasound naive learners was willing and excited to proceed with this educational protocol.

Post-secondary education (PSE) is a vital part of civil society and any modern economy. When broadly accessible, it can enable socioeconomic mobility, improve health outcomes, advance social cohesion, and support a highly skilled workforce. It yields public benefits not only in improved well-being and economic prosperity, but also in reduced costs in health care and social services. Canada also relies heavily on the PSE sector for research. During the COVID-19 pandemic, PSE has supported research related to the pandemic response and other critical areas, including providing expert advice to support public health and government decision-making, while maintaining educational programs and continuing to contribute to local and regional economies. But the pandemic effort has stretched already strained PSE resources and people even further: for decades, declining public investment has driven increases in tuition and decreases in faculty complement, undermining Canada’s research capacity and increasing student debt as well as destabilizing the sector through a growing reliance on volatile international education markets. Given the challenges before us, including climate change, reconciliation, and the pandemic, it is imperative that we better draw on the full range of experience, knowledge, and creativity in Canada and beyond through an inclusive, stable, and globally engaged PSE. Supporting PSE’s recovery will be key to Canada’s ongoing pandemic response and recovery. The recommendations in this report are guided by a single goal—to make the post-secondary sector a more effective partner and support in building a more equitable, sustainable, and evidence-driven future for Canada, through and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusion: Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no change in ED back pain patient satisfaction scores after legislation, despite a marked decrease in ED opiate prescriptions.

Results: A total of 30 needs assessments were completed by the study population. Of this total, 20 (66%) had never used ultrasound before in any context. 10 (33%) had used it before but only for ultrasound guided intravenous line placement. No participants had previously performed an ultrasound of the heart, lungs or neck. A total of 16 paramedics and 19 flight nurses were present for the didactic and the hands on ultrasound scanning sessions. Average score on the pretest was 40.7 % and improved to 66.3 % after training. Of 35 total participants, 33 improved their performance from pre to posttest, while 2 participants' scores decreased. Questions regarding anatomy had the poorest performance while questions regarding pathophysiology and correlation between physical exam findings and image interpretation showed the strongest performance.Conclusion: In this study, ultrasound education had a positive effect on test scores among EMS providers. Test performance reflected the learners' background focused in clinical medicine and pathology. Out-of-hospital providers performed poorly on questions identifying anatomical structures. This curriculum has implications for expansion of ultrasound education to EMS providers for earlier diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening conditions and the type of learning focus most appropriate for their background. The group of largely ultrasound naive learners was willing and excited to proceed with this educational protocol.