A point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) program should be developed for the neonatal ICU (NICU), according to a clinical report published in Pediatrics. Noting that use of POCUS in emergency situations can be lifesaving in the NICU, Dan L. Stewart, MD, and colleagues describe the clinical landscape of neonatal POCUS. Although there are increasing opportunities for POCUS training for neonatal providers, this training does not necessarily translate into expertise that can be applied in clinical care. Until program development and training guidelines are issued, recommendations have been developed for POCUS, including establishment of a hospital-wide POCUS committee that has oversight responsibilities for implementation and quality assurance of the program. This committee should include representatives from pediatric radiology and pediatric cardiology, as well as departments where POCUS is practiced. The scope of practice should be clearly delineated within the domains of expertise in neonatology to help avoid interdisciplinary conflict and identify specific skills that require structured training. A quality assurance process should be developed that assesses image quality and interpretative accuracy. “There is a perceived, pressing clinical need for proactive planning to disseminate POCUS skills,” Dr. Stewart and colleagues wrote.

 

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