Failure of a brief educational program to improve interpretation of pulmonary artery occlusion pressure tracings.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a brief educational program can reduce variability of interpretation of pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP) tracings.


METHODS
Prospective, observational study.


METHODS
Twenty-three intensive care nurses and 18 physicians.


METHODS
Participants interpreted PAOP tracings before and 1 week after receiving a single, brief educational session and/or written materials ("in-service") designed to reduce interobserver variability of PAOP interpretation. Differences between two reference values before and after in-service (mean population and Chief of Critical Care's readings) were compared for both groups.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in the variabilities in PAOP interpretations before and after in-service in either group.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that this specific educational program was ineffective in reducing variability of interpretation of PAOP tracings. These data suggest that more comprehensive educational tools and/or sustained programs may be required to improve performance of critical care personnel in PAOP interpretation.
Zarich
S
S
Bridgeport Hospital, CT 06610, USA.
Pust-Marcone
J
J
Amoateng-Adjepong
Y
Y
Manthous
C A
CA
D002309:Cardiology / Q000193:education; D002407:Catheterization, Swan-Ganz; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education; D015588:Observer Variation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure