title: Evaluation of an Obstetric Ultrasound Curriculum for Midwives in Liberia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Point-of-care ultrasound is an effective tool for clinical decision making in low- and middle-income countries, but lack of trained providers is a barrier to its utility in these settings. In Liberia, given that midwives provide most prenatal care, it is hypothesized that training them in prenatal ultrasound through an intensive condensed training course is both feasible and practical.
  
  
  METHODS
  This quantitative prospective study of preobservational and postobservational assessment evaluated a 1-week ultrasound curriculum consisting of 4 modules, each comprising a didactic component, a practical session, and supervised patient encounters. A knowledge-based pretest and presurvey addressing prior use and comfort were administered. At the intervention conclusion, identical posttests and postsurveys were administered with an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). The test, survey, and OSCE were repeated after 1 year. All scores and responses were tabulated, and qualitative analysis with paired t tests was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one midwives underwent intervention and written evaluation, with 14 followed up at 1 year. Seventeen underwent the OSCE, with 8 retained at 1 year. There was a significant increase between pretest and immediate and 1-year posttest scores (36.6% versus 90% and 66%; P < .001) but no difference between immediate and 1-year posttest scores (90% versus 66%; P > .05). Average overall comfort using ultrasound increased from presurvey to immediate postsurvey scores (from 1.8 to 3.8; P< .001) and remained higher at the 1-year postsurvey (1.8 to 3.4; P< .05). Overall OSCE scores remained high from immediately after the OSCE to 1 year after the OSCE (78% to 55%; P > .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Midwives in Liberia had very low baseline knowledge and comfort using ultrasound. A 1-week curriculum increased both short- and long-term knowledge and comfort and led to adequate overall OSCE scores that were retained at 1 year.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York USA.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bentley
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York USA. braden.hexom@mountsinai.org.
authors.forename: Braden
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hexom
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York USA.
authors.forename: Bret P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D003944:Diagnostic Techniques, Obstetrical and Gynecological; D004521:Educational Measurement; D007988:Liberia; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education*; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
keywords: Liberia; education; midwife; prenatal ultrasound; training; ultrasound education