Imaging (Echocardiography) —
Training activity: 22

Details

Discuss results of an adapted protocol for critically unwell patients with a patient/other healthcare professional

Type

Developmental training activity (DTA)

Evidence requirements

Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee​.

Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.

An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.

Reflective practice guidance

The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.

Before action

• Before this activity, what are the critical echocardiographic findings that require immediate attention in a critically unwell patient?
• How will you communicate these urgent findings effectively and efficiently to the medical team?
• While the patient may not be able to fully participate, how will you ensure patient-centred care principles are maintained?
• What information is most crucial for the critical care team to guide their management?

In action

• How are you structuring the discussion, focusing on the most critical echocardiographic findings and their immediate clinical implications? What key information (e.g., severely reduced EF, large pericardial effusion causing tamponade) are you conveying? Who is your primary audience (likely a healthcare professional in this setting), and how are you communicating urgently and effectively? Are you prioritising the most important findings for immediate action? Are you deciding on the best way to communicate these findings rapidly and clearly to the relevant clinical team? Are you anticipating the questions they might have and preparing concise answers? Are you comfortable communicating critical findings under pressure? Are you consciously using clear and concise medical terminology and avoiding ambiguity?

• Are you ensuring the critical information is being understood by the healthcare team? Are they responding appropriately to the findings you are communicating? Are you gaining a better understanding of the importance of timely and effective communication in critical situations? Are you learning how to convey complex echocardiographic information rapidly and accurately? Are you applying your knowledge of critical care cardiology, relevant echocardiographic findings in acute conditions, and your communication skills under pressure?

• Could a brief verbal summary followed by a more detailed report be the most effective approach? What is the established communication protocol in your department for critical findings? If there is any ambiguity in your findings or uncertainty about their immediate clinical significance, would you seek immediate clarification from a senior colleague before communicating them? Are you communicating findings and their potential implications within the bounds of your training and under appropriate supervision, ensuring that ultimate clinical decisions are made by senior medical staff?

On action

• Summarise the key echocardiographic findings in the context of the critically unwell patient from the adapted protocol. Describe how you communicated these results to the patient (if possible) and/or other healthcare professional, considering the urgency of the situation. Note their reactions and any immediate actions taken.
• Reflect on your ability to communicate critical echocardiographic findings effectively and promptly. Were you able to convey the urgency and clinical significance of the results? Were there any challenges in communication? How does this relate to explaining imaging results?
• Identify any areas where you can improve your communication skills in urgent situations. How will you ensure you provide timely and accurate information to the relevant healthcare professionals in the future?

Beyond action

• Have you communicated urgent echo findings in critically unwell patients to the medical team? How did you ensure the information was conveyed rapidly and accurately to guide immediate management? Have you reflected on the impact of your findings on patient care in these situations?
• How has your ability to communicate critical echocardiographic findings effectively and efficiently to the medical team improved? Are you more confident in prioritising information and providing concise summaries to facilitate timely clinical decision-making?
• How will your experience in communicating in high-pressure situations enhance your ability to contribute to the care of acutely ill patients? What did you learn about the importance of clear and direct communication when conveying critical findings?

Relevant learning outcomes

#	Outcome
# 2	Outcome Explain imaging results to patients and other health care professionals.
# 3	Outcome Distinguish and justify actions based on clinical and ECG findings.
# 5	Outcome Appraise new guidelines and evidence to inform practice.
# 6	Outcome Demonstrate safe practice in line with local, national and international guidelines and standards.
# 7	Outcome Assess and evaluate a patient’s clinical presentation and make recommendations for cardiac imaging.
# 8	Outcome Evaluate cardiac care pathways.
# 9	Outcome Summarise complex information into a concise and logical reports for specialist and non-specialist audiences.