Effect of an Introductory Course in Interventional Pulmonology for Respiratory Therapists

Abstract

Background:

Interventional pulmonology is an evolving specialty with a board certification for physicians. The specialty is technology-dependent. Respiratory therapists play a crucial role in assisting interventional pulmonary programs throughout the country. It is of paramount importance to have a structured curriculum for respiratory therapists to understand the various devices and disease processes to enable them to be efficient team members. We formalized a structural process of training with an introductory course in interventional pulmonology to assess and evaluate the competency gained before and after the administration of the training.

Methods:

The curriculum consisted of a preliminary evaluation of knowledge base in interventional pulmonology followed by a structured lecture on various parenchymal, airway, and pleural diseases. The devices that are used in procedures related to each part of the lung, device-tissue interaction, and performance were emphasized. Subsequently, a post-instruction evaluation was conducted in a multiple-question format with a single best answer. Knowledge before and after the instructional course was evaluated. The study was exempted by the Institutional Review Board (186-SB23-045).

Results:

The class average on the pre-test was 62.8% ± 9% (mean ± 95% CI). A total of 6 out of 15 students (40%) met or exceeded the criterion of success for the pre-test. The difference between the pre-test score and the criterion of success was not statistically significant: t(14) = - 1.55, P > .05. The difference between these scores had a small effect size (Cohen’s d = - 0.4). The class scores on this test approached the criterion of success for this assessment. The class average on the post-test was 85.9% ± 8.4% (mean ± 95% CI). A total of 12 out of 15 students (80%) met or exceeded the criterion of success for the post-test. The difference between the post-test score and the criterion of success was statistically significant: t(14) = 3.73, P < .005. The difference between these scores had a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.96). The class scores on this test greatly exceeded the criterion of success for this assessment.

Conclusions:

Our study demonstrates that an introductory course in interventional pulmonology enhances the knowledge base of respiratory therapists in the field. Larger studies are needed to further validate this data.