Point-of-Care UltrasoundNCT07505108
An Analysis of the Current Status and Influencing Factors in Nurse Practitioners' and Nurses' Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS)
An observational study of Point-of-Care Ultrasound, run by National Taiwan University Hospital at 1 site in Taiwan.
Trial summary
This study targets clinical nurses and nurse practitioners in Taiwan, with an anticipated sample size of approximately 1,000 participants. A cross-sectional survey design will be employed, using an electronic questionnaire to collect data on healthcare professionals' knowledge of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), its… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 20 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Point-of-Care Ultrasound
- How many people
- 1,000 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTaiwan
- Study dates
- 7 Apr 2026to 31 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 20 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Self-reported current clinical practice in Taiwan as a licensed registered nurse (RN) or nurse practitioner (NP).
Who may be able to join
- Aged ≥20 years and able to read and understand Traditional Chinese.
- Self-reported current clinical practice in Taiwan as a licensed registered nurse (RN) or nurse practitioner (NP).
- Currently engaged in clinical work involving direct patient care, including but not limited to emergency departments, intensive care units, medical and surgical wards, operating rooms, anesthesia-related units, dialysis units, obstetrics and pediatrics, and outpatient settings.
- Have read the electronic study information sheet and voluntarily provided informed consent by selecting "I agree to participate in this study" before completing the questionnaire.
Who cannot join
- Not currently involved in direct patient care, or primarily engaged in administrative, managerial, educational, or research administrative roles (e.g., nursing supervisors, education and training administrative staff).
- Incomplete or inconsistent responses to key background information, rendering classification impossible.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Taiwan1 site
National Taiwan University, College of Medicine, School of Nursing
Taipei, 100
Chia-hui Chen, +886-2-23123456 ext. 288438, cherylchen@ntu.edu.tw
About this study
This study targets clinical nurses and nurse practitioners in Taiwan, with an anticipated sample size of approximately 1,000 participants. A cross-sectional survey design will be employed, using an electronic questionnaire to collect data on healthcare professionals' knowledge of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), its clinical scope and frequency of use, attitudes toward its clinical application, and experiences with related education and training.
Upon completion of data collection, descriptive statistics will be used to present the current status of POCUS utilization. Additionally, differences in knowledge, attitudes, and usage patterns across participants with varying background characteristics will be compared to identify factors associated with the clinical implementation of POCUS.
Read the detailed description
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) refers to ultrasound examinations performed at the bedside by frontline healthcare providers to assist in clinical assessment and real-time decision-making. Compared with conventional ultrasound, POCUS is characterized by its immediacy, non-invasiveness, and portability, enabling the provision of real-time imaging information during patient care. As such, it has increasingly become an important tool for supporting initial clinical evaluation and patient status assessment.
International studies have demonstrated that registered nurses (RNs) and nurse practitioners (NPs), following appropriate training, are capable of applying POCUS in various clinical contexts, including vascular access localization, assessment of pleural or abdominal effusion, and focused assessment with sonography in trauma. In countries such as the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe, POCUS has been incorporated into advanced nursing education and progressively implemented across emergency, critical care, and community healthcare settings. Structured training programs and certification systems have also been established to support nurses in performing bedside assessments and responding promptly to clinical needs across diverse healthcare environments.
In contrast, the application of POCUS among nursing professionals in Taiwan remains at an early stage of development. Traditionally, ultrasound examinations have been primarily performed by physicians or specialized technicians. However, with the increasing availability of handheld ultrasound devices and the introduction of international practices, some healthcare institutions and academic programs in Taiwan have begun to integrate POCUS into nursing education and training. Examples include incorporating handheld ultrasound training into clinical teaching and organizing workshops that offer both basic and advanced courses. Nevertheless, there is currently a lack of comprehensive, nationwide data regarding nurses' knowledge, clinical utilization, and training experiences related to POCUS in Taiwan.
Accordingly, this study aims to conduct a nationwide cross-sectional survey to comprehensively investigate the current status of POCUS use among registered nurses and nurse practitioners in Taiwan. Specifically, the study will examine nurses' ability to recognize POCUS applications and their perceptions of POCUS as a supportive clinical tool, as well as the scope and frequency of its use in clinical practice and their experiences with related education and training, including accessibility to educational resources. Furthermore, this study will compare differences in knowledge, utilization, and perceptions across nurses with different background characteristics, such as years of experience, clinical settings, educational exposure, and professional roles, in order to identify factors associated with the clinical implementation of POCUS. The findings are expected to provide important implications for future nursing education and clinical practice development.
- Conditions
- Point-of-Care Ultrasound
- Being tested
- No intervention
- Keywords
- Point-of-Care Ultrasound, POCUS
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
No interventionOther
No intervention
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners and Nurses | Nurse Practitioners and Nurses Receives: Other: No intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Knowledge of POCUS applications
This outcome measures participants' knowledge of clinical applications of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) using a structured questionnaire. The knowledge score is calculated as the total number of correct responses to multiple-choice items (range: 0-5). Higher scores indicate greater knowledge of POCUS applications.
Measured: At baseline (single time point, upon survey completion)
Frequency of POCUS use
This outcome measures the frequency of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) use using a structured questionnaire. For each selected clinical application, participants report their average frequency of POCUS use based on predefined categories: occasional (<2 times/week), sometimes (2-3 times/week), often (4-5 times/week), and almost daily (≥6 times/week).
Responses are coded on a 4-point ordinal scale (1-4), where higher scores indicate more frequent use of POCUS. The overall frequency score is calculated as the average score across all selected items.
Measured: At baseline (single time point, upon survey completion)
POCUS utilization behavior
This outcome measures participants' utilization of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) across clinical applications using a structured checklist questionnaire. Participants select all applicable POCUS uses in three domains: physical assessment, diagnostic evaluation, and procedural assistance.
Each selected item is coded as 1 (yes) and non-selected items as 0 (no). Domain-specific scores are calculated as the sum of selected items within each domain, and a total utilization score is calculated by summing all selected items across domains (range: 0-18). Higher scores indicate broader utilization of POCUS in clinical practice.
Measured: At baseline (single time point, upon survey completion)
Secondary outcomes (2)
Facilitating factors for POCUS use (multiple-response questionnaire)
This outcome measures perceived factors that facilitate the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) using a structured questionnaire. Participants select all applicable factors, including equipment availability, training opportunities, mentorship, and institutional support.
Each item is recorded as a binary variable (yes/no). The outcome is reported as the number and proportion of participants selecting each factor. A total facilitator count score is also calculated by summing the number of selected items (range: 0-5), where higher scores indicate more perceived facilitating factors.
Measured: At baseline (single time point, upon survey completion)
Key facilitator and POCUS training exposure (categorical measures)
This outcome measures the primary factor influencing POCUS use and training exposure using a structured questionnaire. The primary facilitator is assessed as a single-choice categorical variable. Training exposure and resource availability are assessed using binary responses (yes/no), including prior hands-on POCUS training, availability of institutional training opportunities, and accessibility of educational resources.
The outcome is reported as the distribution of responses (frequency and percentage) for each category.
Measured: At baseline (single time point, upon survey completion)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Apr 2026
- Study start7 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Point-of-Care UltrasoundStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by National Taiwan University HospitalThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 1,000 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National Taiwan University Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07505108
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 202602025RINC
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 1 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- An Analysis of the Current Status and Influencing Factors in Nurse Practitioners' and Nurses' Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07505108
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 202602025RINC
- Conditions
- Point-of-Care Ultrasound
- Keywords
- Point-of-Care Ultrasound, POCUS
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 1,000 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- National Taiwan University HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 7 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 1 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study targets clinical nurses and nurse practitioners in Taiwan, with an anticipated sample size of approximately 1,000 participants. A cross-sectional survey design will be employed, using an electronic questionnaire to collect data on healthcare professionals' knowledge of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), its clinical scope and frequency of use, attitudes toward its clinical application, and experiences with related education and training.
Upon completion of data collection, descriptive statistics will be used to present the current status of POCUS utilization. Additionally, differences in knowledge, attitudes, and usage patterns across participants with varying background characteristics will be compared to identify factors associated with the clinical implementation of POCUS.
Detailed description
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) refers to ultrasound examinations performed at the bedside by frontline healthcare providers to assist in clinical assessment and real-time decision-making. Compared with conventional ultrasound, POCUS is characterized by its immediacy, non-invasiveness, and portability, enabling the provision of real-time imaging information during patient care. As such, it has increasingly become an important tool for supporting initial clinical evaluation and patient status assessment.
International studies have demonstrated that registered nurses (RNs) and nurse practitioners (NPs), following appropriate training, are capable of applying POCUS in various clinical contexts, including vascular access localization, assessment of pleural or abdominal effusion, and focused assessment with sonography in trauma. In countries such as the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe, POCUS has been incorporated into advanced nursing education and progressively implemented across emergency, critical care, and community healthcare settings. Structured training programs and certification systems have also been established to support nurses in performing bedside assessments and responding promptly to clinical needs across diverse healthcare environments.
In contrast, the application of POCUS among nursing professionals in Taiwan remains at an early stage of development. Traditionally, ultrasound examinations have been primarily performed by physicians or specialized technicians. However, with the increasing availability of handheld ultrasound devices and the introduction of international practices, some healthcare institutions and academic programs in Taiwan have begun to integrate POCUS into nursing education and training. Examples include incorporating handheld ultrasound training into clinical teaching and organizing workshops that offer both basic and advanced courses. Nevertheless, there is currently a lack of comprehensive, nationwide data regarding nurses' knowledge, clinical utilization, and training experiences related to POCUS in Taiwan.
Accordingly, this study aims to conduct a nationwide cross-sectional survey to comprehensively investigate the current status of POCUS use among registered nurses and nurse practitioners in Taiwan. Specifically, the study will examine nurses' ability to recognize POCUS applications and their perceptions of POCUS as a supportive clinical tool, as well as the scope and frequency of its use in clinical practice and their experiences with related education and training, including accessibility to educational resources. Furthermore, this study will compare differences in knowledge, utilization, and perceptions across nurses with different background characteristics, such as years of experience, clinical settings, educational exposure, and professional roles, in order to identify factors associated with the clinical implementation of POCUS. The findings are expected to provide important implications for future nursing education and clinical practice development.
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners and Nurses | – | Other: No interventionNurse Practitioners and Nurses |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 20 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Self-reported current clinical practice in Taiwan as a licensed registered nurse (RN) or nurse practitioner (NP).
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Aged ≥20 years and able to read and understand Traditional Chinese.
- Self-reported current clinical practice in Taiwan as a licensed registered nurse (RN) or nurse practitioner (NP).
- Currently engaged in clinical work involving direct patient care, including but not limited to emergency departments, intensive care units, medical and surgical wards, operating rooms, anesthesia-related units, dialysis units, obstetrics and pediatrics, and outpatient settings.
- Have read the electronic study information sheet and voluntarily provided informed consent by selecting "I agree to participate in this study" before completing the questionnaire.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Not currently involved in direct patient care, or primarily engaged in administrative, managerial, educational, or research administrative roles (e.g., nursing supervisors, education and training administrative staff).
- Incomplete or inconsistent responses to key background information, rendering classification impossible.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| No interventionNo intervention | Other | Nurse Practitioners and Nurses |
Primary outcome
Knowledge of POCUS applications
Time frame: At baseline (single time point, upon survey completion)
This outcome measures participants' knowledge of clinical applications of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) using a structured questionnaire. The knowledge score is calculated as the total number of correct responses to multiple-choice items (range: 0-5). Higher scores indicate greater knowledge of POCUS applications.
Frequency of POCUS use
Time frame: At baseline (single time point, upon survey completion)
This outcome measures the frequency of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) use using a structured questionnaire. For each selected clinical application, participants report their average frequency of POCUS use based on predefined categories: occasional (<2 times/week), sometimes (2-3 times/week), often (4-5 times/week), and almost daily (≥6 times/week). Responses are coded on a 4-point ordinal scale (1-4), where higher scores indicate more frequent use of POCUS. The overall frequency score is calculated as the average score across all selected items.
POCUS utilization behavior
Time frame: At baseline (single time point, upon survey completion)
This outcome measures participants' utilization of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) across clinical applications using a structured checklist questionnaire. Participants select all applicable POCUS uses in three domains: physical assessment, diagnostic evaluation, and procedural assistance. Each selected item is coded as 1 (yes) and non-selected items as 0 (no). Domain-specific scores are calculated as the sum of selected items within each domain, and a total utilization score is calculated by summing all selected items across domains (range: 0-18). Higher scores indicate broader utilization of POCUS in clinical practice.
2 secondary outcomes
Facilitating factors for POCUS use (multiple-response questionnaire)
Time frame: At baseline (single time point, upon survey completion)
Key facilitator and POCUS training exposure (categorical measures)
Time frame: At baseline (single time point, upon survey completion)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Apr 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Point-of-Care Ultrasound, run by National Taiwan University Hospital at 1 site in Taiwan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Taiwan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Ming-zhi Chang (+886-953-989-035, mlb92311@hotmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Knowledge of POCUS applications (time frame: At baseline (single time point, upon survey completion)). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Apr 2026.