Pocket-size Ultrasound by Nurses in Cardiothoracic Post-operative Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The investigators aim to study the feasibility and reliability of pocket-size diagnostic ultrasound examinations performed by nurses of postoperative patients who have underwent cardiothoracic surgery in a cardiac unit.

Detailed Description
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Patient inclusion: Post-operative cardiothoracic surgery patients transferred to a cardiac unit. All such patients are eligible for inclusion if they consent to participate in the study. No other exclusion criteria other than not willing/able to give their consent. Only postoperative patients will be included. Study population: Approximately 50 patients Intervention: All participants will undergo careful medical history, physical examination and blood tests led by residents. All patients will routinely be examined with ultrasound by nurses trained in ultrasound examinations of the pleural space and the pericardium and a complete high-end echocardiography including assessment of both pleural cavities and the pericardial space will be performed in all by cardiologists. Statistics and results: Feasibility and reliability will be studied.

Official Title
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Feasibility and Reliability of Routine Ultrasound Examination Performed by Nurses in Cardiothoracic Post-operative Patients

Conditions
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Cardiothoracic Surgery

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: Ultrasound examination by nurses


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Post-operative cardiothoracic patients admitted to the cardiac unit at the local hospital Exclusion Criteria: Not able or not willing to consent
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Ultrasound performed by nurses<br>Focused examination of the pleural and pericardial cavity. Cardiologists perform reference ultrasound examinations. | Procedure: Ultrasound examination by nurses<br>* Focused examination of the pleural space and inferior vena cava.Reference method: Cardiologists performed ultrasound examinations.<br>* Other names: Ultrasound;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Feasibility and reliability | Feasibility: Proportion of patients where the pleural and pericardial cavitis can be assessed and interpreted by ultrasound performed by nurses compared with cardiologists. | 0 days | 
| Reliability | Validation of ultrasound examinations and interpretation of the pleural and pericardial cavities by nurses compared with cardiologists as reference. | 0 days | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Time use | Comparison of the time use of ultrasound examinations of the pleural and pericardial cavities when examinations are performed by nurses and cardiologists, respectively. | 0 days | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Echocardiography, Pocket-size, Hand-held, Cardiothoracic surgery, Post-operative, Nurses, Cardiac