Colonoscopy training for nurse endoscopists: a feasibility study

Participation by experienced endoscopy nurses increases the detection rate of colon polyps during a screening colonoscopy: a multicenter, prospective, randomized study

“…22 Several pilot studies have examined the learning curve for nurse endoscopists performing flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. [27][28][29] However, the effect of GI endoscopy nurse participation on lesion detection, which is the primary goal of colonoscopy, has not been previously reported in a prospective setting. In the current study, we found that active participation of an endoscopy nurse for mucosal inspection improved detection rates during colonoscope withdrawal.…”

Non-Physician Endoscopy: How Far Can We Go?

“…The percentage of careful diagnostic was higher for the nurse endoscopists, 91.6% (174/190), than for the physicians, 53.4% (93/177) (difference 38.2%, 95% confidence interval 30.5-47.2%). More recent studies in 2011 and 2014 showed a similar adenoma detection rate in colonoscopy [19,20,21]. Hui et al [21] quote a complication rate for nurse endoscopists of 9.3% and for medical endoscopists of 9.0% (p = 0.899) in their study.…”

“…Hui et al [21] quote a complication rate for nurse endoscopists of 9.3% and for medical endoscopists of 9.0% (p = 0.899) in their study. Koornstra et al [19] found complication rates for nurse endoscopists of 0.33%, for medical endoscopists of 0.67% and for specialists of 0%. Unfortunately, most studies do not exhibit a high level of evidence .…”

“…The studies von Koornstra et al [19], Limoges-Gonzales et al [20] und Hui et al [21] report a particularly high patient satisfaction when nurse staff and physicians are directly compared. The vast majority of patients, 99.3%, 98% and 98.9% respectively for these studies, stated that they would be happy to have further colonoscopies with nurse staff [19,20,21] (table 1). In a further examination, 95% of 734 patients questioned were satisfied with the examination, 72% of patients had no preference for either physician or nurse examiner [23] (fig.…”

Maintaining Quality in Endoscopy

“…Two to three sessions a week are mandated to maintain competencies achieved by a closely supervised period of apprenticeship as well as attendance of national endoscopy courses(Brisith Society of Gastroenterology 2001). A recent pilot study from the Netherlands identified no difference in the caecal intubation rate and caecal intubation time between nurse endoscopists and gastrointestinal fellows in training, with 150 examinations required before independent procedures could be performed (Koornstra, Corporaal et al 2009). …”