Canadian Recommendations for Critical Care Ultrasound Training and Competency

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To achieve national consensus on standards of training, quality assurance and maintenance of competence for critical care ultrasound for intensivists and critical care trainees in Canada using recently published international training statements.DATA SOURCES: Existing internationally endorsed guidelines and expert opinion.DATA SYNTHESIS: In November 2013, a day-long consensus meeting was held with 15 Canadian experts in critical care ultrasound in which essential topics relevant to training ultrasound were discussed.CONCLUSIONS: Consensus was achieved to direct training curriculum, oversight, quality assurance and maintenance of competence for critical care ultrasound. In providing the first national guideline of its kind, these Canadian recommendations may also serve as a model of critical care ultrasound dissemination for other countries.