Medical EducationNCT07594470
Case-Based Learning for Bedside Lung Ultrasound Teaching in ICU
A study testing Case-Based Learning (CBL) and Traditional lecture-based teaching in people with Medical Education and ICU, run by First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
This single-center randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Case-Based Learning (CBL) compared with traditional teaching in clinical training of bedside lung ultrasound (BLUE) for emergency medicine residents and medical students. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Medical Education, ICU, Emergency Medicine
- What is being tested?
- Case-Based Learning (CBL) and Traditional lecture-based teaching
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 106 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 1 Jul 2026to 30 Jun 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- 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 Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Standardized residency trainees currently rotating in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), specializing in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology, or General Practice.
- Have completed institutional basic ultrasound theory training or possess preliminary ultrasound knowledge.
- Voluntarily participate and provide written informed consent.
- Able to complete the entire teaching and evaluation schedule (including written test and OSCE).
Who cannot join
- Prior formal training or certification in lung/critical care ultrasound.
- Unable to complete the study period due to rotation scheduling or absence.
- Decline or withdraw informed consent.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
China1 site
The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College (Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College)
Wuhu, Anhui, 241001
qiancheng xu, xu19871011@163.com
About this study
Official title: CBL Mode in Clinical Teaching of Bedside Lung Ultrasound in Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Controlled Study
This single-center randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Case-Based Learning (CBL) compared with traditional teaching in clinical training of bedside lung ultrasound (BLUE) for emergency medicine residents and medical students. The hypothesis is that CBL improves theoretical understanding, practical ultrasound skills, and clinical reasoning in emergency settings.
Read the detailed description
This single-center randomized controlled educational trial will be conducted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, China. The study aims to compare the effectiveness of Case-Based Learning (CBL) and traditional lecture-based teaching in bedside lung ultrasound (BLUE) education for residents and medical students participating in critical care rotations.
Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio by computer-generated sequence into either the CBL group or the traditional teaching group. Both groups will receive a total of 8 hours of instruction delivered in two 4-hour sessions during their ICU rotation period.
In the CBL group, teaching will be guided by authentic clinical cases that include varied respiratory pathologies (e.g., pneumonia, pneumothorax, pulmonary edema). Each case will involve small-group discussion of diagnostic reasoning, interpretation of ultrasound findings, and supervised scanning practice at the bedside. Instructors will facilitate feedback and reflective learning, integrating theoretical concepts with clinical application.
In the traditional teaching group, participants will attend classroom lectures on ultrasound principles and watch instructor-led demonstrations of standardized BLUE examination techniques. Short hands-on practice sessions will follow under supervision but without case-based discussion or peer-feedback components.
All teaching sessions will be delivered by faculty certified in critical ultrasonography, using standardized instruction materials and the same ultrasound equipment and scanning protocols across groups. Data collection will occur within one week after completion of the teaching intervention. Primary outcomes include Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) score reflecting image acquisition, interpretation, and clinical reasoning. Secondary outcomes comprise written knowledge test scores and learner-reported measures of learning motivation and satisfaction.
All analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Group differences will be tested using appropriate statistical methods (e.g., independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables and chi-square test for categorical variables). The results will provide empirical evidence to guide optimization of bedside lung ultrasound education and the implementation of interactive, case-based teaching strategies in the context of intensive and emergency care training programs.
- Conditions
- Medical Education, ICU, Emergency Medicine, Lung Ultrasound, Case-based Learning
- Being tested
- Case-Based Learning (CBL), Traditional lecture-based teaching
- Keywords
- Case-based learning, Bedside Lung Ultrasound (BLUE), Case-Based Learning (CBL), Emergency Medicine, Critical ultrasonography, Intensive Care Unit
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Case-Based Learning (CBL)Behavioural
Participants study authentic emergency cases, analyze lung ultrasound images, perform bedside scanning under instructor facilitation, and discuss diagnostic reasoning in small groups.
Traditional lecture-based teachingBehavioural
Participants receive conventional didactic lectures and instructor demonstration of BLUE examination followed by limited practice.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Case-Based Learning (CBL) Group | Experimental | Participants study authentic emergency cases, analyze lung ultrasound images, perform bedside scanning under instructor facilitation, and discuss diagnostic reasoning in small groups. Receives: Behavioral: Case-Based Learning (CBL) |
| Traditional Teaching Group | Active comparator | Participants receive conventional didactic lectures and instructor demonstration of BLUE examination followed by limited practice. Receives: Behavioral: Traditional lecture-based teaching |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Total Score
he Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) total score (0-100 points) evaluates overall bedside lung ultrasound proficiency. It includes five weighted stations: (1) image acquisition and scanning technique (20 points), (2) image interpretation (20 points), (3) clinical decision-making (20 points), (4) structured case reporting and teamwork (20 points), and (5) emergency communication with patients or families (20 points). Each station is rated by three blinded assessors using standardized checklists and global rating scales. Higher scores indicate better ultrasound performance and clinical reasoning ability.
Scale Range: 0 (poor performance) to 100 (excellent performance); higher = better
Measured: Within one week after completion of the teaching sessions
Secondary outcomes (4)
Written Theoretical Knowledge Test Score
Description: Written examination assessing understanding of lung ultrasound principles, BLUE protocol workflow, and case analysis. The test includes multiple-choice, multiple-response, short-answer, and case-analysis items. Total score ranges from 0 to 100 points. Higher scores indicate greater theoretical knowledge mastery.
Scale Range: 0 (lowest) to 100 (highest); higher = better
Measured: Within one week after the intervention
Clinical Decision Substation Score
Description: Subscore from the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Station 3, evaluating diagnostic reasoning and initial management decisions based on bedside lung ultrasound findings. Scored on a 0-20 point checklist by blinded assessors. Higher values reflect stronger clinical decision-making ability.
Scale Range: 0 (lowest) to 20 (highest); higher = better
Measured: Within one week after intervention
Self-Assessment Questionnaire Scores
Description: Study-specific questionnaire evaluating self-perceived improvement in learning motivation, clinical reasoning, teamwork, and communication. Each dimension consists of 5 dichotomous items (Yes = 1; No = 0). Scores are summarized as the proportion (%) of participants responding "Yes" in each domain. The possible range is 0%-100%; higher proportions indicate more participants reporting improvement.
Scale Range: 0%-100%; higher = better perceived improvement
Measured: Within one week after the intervention
Overall Learning Satisfaction Rating
Description: Overall satisfaction measured by a single 5-point Likert-type item (1 = Very dissatisfied, 2 = Dissatisfied, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Satisfied, 5 = Very satisfied). Reported as the proportion (%) of participants rating ≥4. Higher proportions reflect greater satisfaction with the assigned teaching method.
Scale Range: 1-5 for individual ratings; 0%-100% for proportion ≥4; higher = better satisfaction
Measured: Within one week after the intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 May 2026
- Study start1 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion30 Jun 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Jun 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Medical EducationStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants randomly assigned (1:1) to either CBL teaching or traditional teaching groups.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 106 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Qiancheng Xu, First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07594470
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2026-0511
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 10 May 2026
- Last updated
- 18 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 18 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- CBL Mode in Clinical Teaching of Bedside Lung Ultrasound in Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Controlled Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07594470
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2026-0511
- Conditions
- Medical Education, ICU, Emergency Medicine, Lung Ultrasound, Case-based Learning
- Keywords
- Case-based learning, Bedside Lung Ultrasound (BLUE), Case-Based Learning (CBL), Emergency Medicine, Critical ultrasonography, Intensive Care Unit
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 106 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical CollegeUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Jun 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 18 May 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 single-center randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Case-Based Learning (CBL) compared with traditional teaching in clinical training of bedside lung ultrasound (BLUE) for emergency medicine residents and medical students. The hypothesis is that CBL improves theoretical understanding, practical ultrasound skills, and clinical reasoning in emergency settings.
Detailed description
This single-center randomized controlled educational trial will be conducted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, China. The study aims to compare the effectiveness of Case-Based Learning (CBL) and traditional lecture-based teaching in bedside lung ultrasound (BLUE) education for residents and medical students participating in critical care rotations.
Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio by computer-generated sequence into either the CBL group or the traditional teaching group. Both groups will receive a total of 8 hours of instruction delivered in two 4-hour sessions during their ICU rotation period.
In the CBL group, teaching will be guided by authentic clinical cases that include varied respiratory pathologies (e.g., pneumonia, pneumothorax, pulmonary edema). Each case will involve small-group discussion of diagnostic reasoning, interpretation of ultrasound findings, and supervised scanning practice at the bedside. Instructors will facilitate feedback and reflective learning, integrating theoretical concepts with clinical application.
In the traditional teaching group, participants will attend classroom lectures on ultrasound principles and watch instructor-led demonstrations of standardized BLUE examination techniques. Short hands-on practice sessions will follow under supervision but without case-based discussion or peer-feedback components.
All teaching sessions will be delivered by faculty certified in critical ultrasonography, using standardized instruction materials and the same ultrasound equipment and scanning protocols across groups. Data collection will occur within one week after completion of the teaching intervention. Primary outcomes include Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) score reflecting image acquisition, interpretation, and clinical reasoning. Secondary outcomes comprise written knowledge test scores and learner-reported measures of learning motivation and satisfaction.
All analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Group differences will be tested using appropriate statistical methods (e.g., independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables and chi-square test for categorical variables). The results will provide empirical evidence to guide optimization of bedside lung ultrasound education and the implementation of interactive, case-based teaching strategies in the context of intensive and emergency care training programs.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants randomly assigned (1:1) to either CBL teaching or traditional teaching groups.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Case-Based Learning (CBL) Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Case-Based Learning (CBL)Participants study authentic emergency cases, analyze lung ultrasound images, perform bedside scanning under instructor facilitation, and discuss diagnostic reasoning in small groups. |
| Traditional Teaching Group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Traditional lecture-based teachingParticipants receive conventional didactic lectures and instructor demonstration of BLUE examination followed by limited practice. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Standardized residency trainees currently rotating in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), specializing in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology, or General Practice.
- Have completed institutional basic ultrasound theory training or possess preliminary ultrasound knowledge.
- Voluntarily participate and provide written informed consent.
- Able to complete the entire teaching and evaluation schedule (including written test and OSCE).
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Prior formal training or certification in lung/critical care ultrasound.
- Unable to complete the study period due to rotation scheduling or absence.
- Decline or withdraw informed consent.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Case-Based Learning (CBL)Participants study authentic emergency cases, analyze lung ultrasound images, perform bedside scanning under instructor facilitation, and discuss diagnostic reasoning in small groups. | Behavioural | Case-Based Learning (CBL) Group |
| Traditional lecture-based teachingParticipants receive conventional didactic lectures and instructor demonstration of BLUE examination followed by limited practice. | Behavioural | Traditional Teaching Group |
Primary outcome
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Total Score
Time frame: Within one week after completion of the teaching sessions
he Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) total score (0-100 points) evaluates overall bedside lung ultrasound proficiency. It includes five weighted stations: (1) image acquisition and scanning technique (20 points), (2) image interpretation (20 points), (3) clinical decision-making (20 points), (4) structured case reporting and teamwork (20 points), and (5) emergency communication with patients or families (20 points). Each station is rated by three blinded assessors using standardized checklists and global rating scales. Higher scores indicate better ultrasound performance and clinical reasoning ability. Scale Range: 0 (poor performance) to 100 (excellent performance); higher = better
4 secondary outcomes
Written Theoretical Knowledge Test Score
Time frame: Within one week after the intervention
Clinical Decision Substation Score
Time frame: Within one week after intervention
Self-Assessment Questionnaire Scores
Time frame: Within one week after the intervention
Overall Learning Satisfaction Rating
Time frame: Within one week after the intervention
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 18 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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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?
A study testing Case-Based Learning (CBL) and Traditional lecture-based teaching in people with Medical Education and ICU, run by First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College at 1 site in China.
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 3 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 18 May 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 China. 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 qiancheng xu (+86-18297529106, qianchengxu@wnmc.edu.cn), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Total Score (time frame: Within one week after completion of the teaching sessions). 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 18 May 2026.