Lung ultrasound in respiratory therapy: a global reflective survey

Background: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a noninvasive point-of-care diagnostic tool used to assess the presence and severity of various lung disorders and has been widely used in acute care settings for more than two decades. Respiratory therapists (RTs) play a vital role in managing patients on ventilation and other patients requiring respiratory support. However, the incorporation of LUS into the scope of practice of RTs has not been well highlighted despite the prominence of their practice in acute care. This international cross-sectional survey was specifically designed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of RTs with respect to lung ultrasonography. Methods: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted among RTs from different parts of the world using a questionnaire-based study tool. In total, 514 RTs responded to all the questions and were considered for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, Fisher’s exact, Chi-square, Bonferroni post-hoc analysis, and binomial logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the significance of the data. Results: The majority of the 514 RTs who responded to the survey were from Middle Eastern countries. Out of the 514 responders, 44.9% of the responders were in the age group of 23-30 years; 67.1% were bachelor’s degree holders; and 40.9% of participants had more than 10 years of experience. The knowledge-based questions revealed that RTs with higher experience and academic qualification provided more positive responses while in the attitude-related domain it was observed that standardized training in LUS helps them to enhance the current practice and to add LUS to the academic curriculum of respiratory therapy schools. However, barriers to practice LUS remains based on their responses. The practice-based questions revealed that RTs expected some additional seminars/workshops/ webinars to be conducted on LUS. More than half of the participants were found to be knowledgeable with a positive attitude and working towards the inclusion of LUS in the respiratory therapy profession. Conclusion: RTs have a positive attribute towards the inclusion of LUS in their clinical practice. Providing more structured training for professional RTs and including LUS modules in the respiratory therapy school curriculum may facilitate mastering their diagnostic skills, thereby expanding the scope of practice.