453 - Point-of Care Ultrasound use improves Patient-Family Perceived Stress and Anxiety in a Pediatric Emergency Department
Sunday, April 30, 2023
3:30 PM – 6:00 PM ET
Poster Number: 453 Publication Number: 453.312
Samuel Gutierrez, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States; Pamela Soriano, Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, Westfield, IN, United States; Frances Russell, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States; Benjamin Nti, Indiana University School of Medicine, Carmel, IN, United States
Medical Student Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Background: Across the current literature, there is consensus that patients respond positively to the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS).However, there is limited understanding of how its use is perceived by patient-families during evaluation in the emergency department (ED). Objective: We sought to evaluate patient-families perceived stress and anxiety levels, in a pediatric ED, in those receiving POCUS compared to those without POCUS as part of their ED care. Design/Methods: Pediatric patients (age 0-17 years) presenting with a clinical indication for lung, focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST), cardiac, or soft tissue POCUS were randomized in a 1:1 fashion to either a non-POCUS or POCUS group. After consent, each patient-family completed a survey consisting of fifteen 5-point Likert-style questions immediately after triage and at ED disposition. We excluded unstable patients. Patient demographic information was gathered from the electronic medical record. We compared mean responses between the two groups using a standard two-tailed t-test. Results: All 100 patient-families completed the presurvey and 71% completed the post-survey.The POCUS and non-POCUS groups were well-matched. The average age of patients was 5.69 (standard error of the mean [SEM] + 0.54). Questionnaires were predominantly completed by patient’s mother (84%) and most patients presented with an indication for lung POCUS (34%).In the non-POCUS group, patient-families expressed a rating difference of -0.416 (p=0.1434) and -0.419 (p=0.1436) for anxiety and stress pre- and post-evaluation, respectively, compared to a higher difference of -0.875 (p=0.0043) and -0.846 (p=0.0038) in the POCUS group. POCUS was associated with an overall positive ED experience and an important factor in patient-family ED care (4.75 + 0.117).
Conclusion(s): This data suggests that the use of POCUS is associated with improved patient-family perceived anxiety and stress in a pediatric ED and POCUS use supports an overall positive ED experience.
