Blue Phantom® Educational Packages

Combines written, video, and hands-on training.

Blue Phantom®'s award winning education resource systems are comprehensive education packages designed to efficiently and effectively instruct the clinician how to use ultrasound and practice the hand-eye coordination necessary to guide central catheter insertions. Learning to use ultrasound requires practice. You gain confidence and skill through experience. That is why all of our education packages include an ultrasound phantom for hands-on technique training. Whether you are learning or training others to use ultrasound for guided central line placements.

The coursework begins with a written curriculum which establishes the foundation for success by taking the reader through the fundaments of ultrasound physics, ultrasound system instrumentation, adjusting ultrasound system controls, how to obtain ultrasound images, and how to identify vessels and differentiate between arteries and veins using ultrasound imaging. The content builds on the basics learned in early chapters taking the reader through detailed instruction on how to use ultrasound to guide central catheter insertions including optimal room setup, using needle guides vs. freehand needle guidance techniques, the use of echogenic needles, sheathing the transducer to maintain a sterile field, and ultimately, putting all of the pieces together to guide a needle to the intended vessel during a procedure.

The reader tests their knowledge and builds confidence throughout the curriculum by completing quick quizzes and self assessment tests through the book. The written curriculum ends with a final test as the user verifies their retention of information learned in the book. The expected time to complete the written curriculum is 4.5 hours. The book also contains a competency checklist example allowing clinicians and program directors to establish knowledge and skill base.

The second step in the curriculum is the visual learning video DVD. Building on the information learned previously, the video DVD offers a visual representation of the information learned in the written curriculum. This 12 minute professionally made video DVD, filmed by the acclaimed filmmaker David DuBois, received the prestigious Telly Gold Medal Award for Best Educational Film.

The final ingredient to learning how to successfully use ultrasound for guided central venous access or PICC procedures included in the education package is a Blue Phantom ultrasound training model. Allowing the user to apply the skills learned in the written curriculum and video DVD, this vascular access ultrasound training model assists the user in their development of the psychomotor skills necessary to guide a needle to an intended vein during an ultrasound guided central catheter insertion procedure. This extremely realistic and ultra-durable model offers the user a training model so they can repeatedly practice their learned techniques thus building confidence and skills.