POCUS Lung Certification Program

The Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Lung Certification Program is a comprehensive, multi-faceted initiative designed to equip healthcare professionals with essential lung POCUS skills. The program combines theoretical knowledge, practical application, clinical integration, and rigorous skills validation.

Through a combination of online learning, independent hands-on practice, and clinical assessment, this program equips healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively integrate lung ultrasound into their clinical practice, enhancing patient care and diagnostic capabilities.

Program Components

1. Lung POCUS Course
This self-paced online course provides a strong theoretical foundation in lung POCUS through six interactive modules:

• Introduction to Lung POCUS
• Anatomy of the Lungs
• Principles of Ultrasound Imaging
• Ultrasound Findings: Correlation with Anatomy
• Thoracic Ultrasound Artifacts
• Integration of Ultrasound into Management: Clinical Examples

The course features high-quality video demonstrations, interactive case studies, module quizzes and a 25 question summative assessment to reinforce learning. 

2. POCUS Lung Procedure Checklist and Logbook Resource

POCUS Lung Procedure Checklist
The POCUS Lung Procedure Checklist is a comprehensive guide for healthcare professionals performing lung point-of-care ultrasound examinations. It emphasizes goal-directed POCUS, guiding clinicians through the entire process from formulating clinical questions to interpreting and documenting findings. The resource includes a Lung POCUS Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Checklist for normal findings and a Lung Ultrasound Pathology Log for abnormal findings. This standardized, step-by-step guide enhances consistency and quality in clinical practice, providing detailed instructions for each examination stage. It enables healthcare professionals to confidently integrate lung ultrasound into their patient care routines, ultimately improving diagnostic capabilities and patient outcomes

Scan Logbook
To ensure practical proficiency, participants are required to complete and document 20 lung POCUS scans. This logbook serves as a record of hands-on experience and skill development, essential for achieving certification. Each entry in the logbook allows participants to track their progress and reflect on various pathologies encountered during their scans. This documentation not only demonstrates practical proficiency but also reinforces learning through real-world application.

Completion of the logbook is also a prerequisite for the Lung POCUS Certification Assessment, where participants must attest to performing and interpreting these cases within the last two years.

By maintaining this log, healthcare professionals can confidently showcase their readiness for certification and enhance their clinical practice in lung ultrasound.

3. POCUS Lung Certification
The certification is designed to provide independent validation of a clinical provider’s proficiency in Lung POCUS. The POCUS Clinical Certification is comprised of three components: a Clinical Case-Based Assessment, Peer Evaluations and Video Submissions.

• Clinical Case-Based Assessment
  The clinical case-based assessments are designed to simulate a clinical encounter. There are eight scenario cases that will be assessed. 
• Peer Evaluations
  The peer evaluations are designed to assess your practical abilities in POCUS. Clinicians of your choosing will be sent an anonymous questionnaire to evaluate your POCUS abilities. Assessment results are based on the first two evaluations received.
• Video Submission
  The video submission is designed to assess your practical abilities in POCUS. You will submit two videos: one without pathology, and one with identified pathology. All videos must be HIPAA compliant, .mp4 formatted, and 5-60 seconds long.

For more details regarding assessment domains, peer evaluations, and video submissions, please refer to the POCUS Lung Content Outline.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the POCUS Lung Certification Program, participants will be able to:

• Understand the principles and significance of lung POCUS examinations in clinical practice
• Recognize normal lung POCUS anatomy and common pathological findings
• Interpret key ultrasound artifacts specific to lung POCUS imaging
• Integrate lung POCUS findings into clinical decision-making
• Perform lung POCUS examinations following standardized protocols
• Apply lung POCUS skills in various clinical scenarios

Target Audience

This certification program is designed for physicians, advanced practice providers, and other clinicians involved in respiratory care across various clinical settings.

Program Duration

The program is designed to accommodate the busy schedules of healthcare professionals:

• The online course is self-paced, allowing for flexible learning
• Participants have up to 6 months to complete all components of the certification program

Upon successful completion of all program components, including passing the summative assessment, participants will receive:

• A Lung POCUS Certification
• A digital badge for professional profiles
• A certificate of completion

Maintenance of Certification

The Lung POCUS Certification is valid for 5 years. To maintain certification, participants must complete continuing education requirements and demonstrate ongoing clinical use of lung POCUS.

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