"A short trauma course for physicians in a resource-limited setting: Is low-cost simulation effective?"

The ABCDE approach in critically ill patients: A scoping review of assessment tools, adherence and reported outcomes

Aim

The systematic Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, and Exposure (ABCDE) approach is a priority-based consensus approach for the primary assessment of all categories of critically ill or injured patients. The aims of this review are to provide a wide overview of all relevant literature about existing ABCDE assessment tools, adherence to the ABCDE approach and related outcomes of teaching or application of the ABCDE approach by healthcare professionals.

Methods

A comprehensive scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and reported according to the PRISMA-ScR Checklist. An a priori protocol was developed. In March 2024, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane library were searched to identify studies describing healthcare professionals applying the ABCDE approach in either simulation settings or clinical practice. Two reviewers independently screened records for inclusion and performed data extraction.

Results

From n = 8165 results, fifty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria and reported data from clinical care (n = 27) or simulation settings (n = 30). Forty-two studies reported 39 different assessment tools, containing 5 to 36 items. Adherence to the approach was reported in 43 studies and varied from 18-84% in clinical practice and from 29-35% pre-intervention to 65-97% post-intervention in simulation settings. Team leader presence and attending simulation training improved adherence. Data on patient outcomes were remarkably scarce.

Conclusion

Many different tools with variable content were identified to assess the ABCDE approach. Adherence was the most frequently reported outcome and varied widely among included studies. However, association between the ABCDE approach and patient outcomes is yet to be investigated.

Effect of simulation-based emergency airway management education on the knowledge, skills and perceived confidence of medical interns

Background

An effective airway management education program is a crucial part of the undergraduate medical education curriculum. Theoretical instructions and practical demonstrations are the major modalities of medical education in Nepal. Simulation-based education (SBE) programs have not yet been implemented effectively. The authors aimed to determine the effects of an SBE program on the knowledge, skills, and perceived confidence of medical interns regarding emergency airway management.

Methods

This mixed methods study comprised both quantitative and qualitative components. The study participants were 47 medical interns who had participated in the SBE program.

Results

The mean age of the 47 participants was 24.74 years. There were 33 (70.21%) male and 14 (29.79%) female participants. The knowledge, skills, and perceived confidence scores of the participants for airway management preparation, basic airway management, endotracheal intubation, and laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion improved significantly following the SBE program (P<0.001). Analysis of the participants' feedback indicated that they largely approved of the SBE program. The majority of students and faculty expressed a willingness to include similar programs in the undergraduate medical education curriculum.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated through quantitative and qualitative metrics that SBE can enhance the knowledge, skills, and perceived confidence in performing emergency airway management among medical interns. The authors recommend measures to include and effectively implement SBE in the undergraduate medical education curriculum of Nepal.

The History and Evolution of the West African College of Surgeons/Jos University Teaching Hospital Trauma Management Course

BACKGROUND

Inadequate trauma care training opportunities exist in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Jos University Teaching Hospital and the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) have synergized, over the past 15 years, to introduce a yearly, certified, multidisciplinary Trauma Management Course. We explore the history and evolution of this course.

METHODS

A desk review of course secretariat documents, registration records, schedules, pre- and post-course test records, post-course surveys, and account books complemented by organizer interviews was carried out to elaborate the evolution of the Trauma Management Course.

RESULTS

The course was started as a local Continuing Medical Education program in 2005 in response to recurring cycles of violence and numerous mass casualty situations. Collaborations with WACS followed, with inclusion of the course in the College's yearly calendar from 2010. Multidisciplinary faculty teach participants the concepts of trauma care through didactic lectures, group sessions, and hands-on simulation within a one-week period. From inception, there has been a 100% growth in lecture content (from 15 to 30 lectures) and in multidisciplinary attendance (from 23 to 133 attendees). Trainees showed statistically significant knowledge gain yearly, with a mean difference ranging from 10.1 to 16.1% over the past 5 years. Future collaborations seek to expand the course and position it as a catalyst for regional emergency medical services and trauma registries.

CONCLUSIONS

Multidisciplinary trauma management training is important for expanding holistic trauma capacity within the West African sub-region. The course serves as an example for Low- and Middle-Income contexts. Similar contextualized programs should be considered to strengthen trauma workforce development.

Clinical Practices Following Train-The-Trainer Trauma Course Completion in Uganda: A Parallel-Convergent Mixed-Methods Study

BACKGROUND

Despite the growth of trauma training courses worldwide, evidence for their impact on clinical practice in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is sparse. We investigated trauma practices by trained providers in Uganda using clinical observation, surveys, and interviews.

METHODS

Ugandan providers participated in the Kampala Advanced Trauma Course (KATC) from 2018 to 2019. Between July and September of 2019, we directly evaluated guideline-concordant behaviors in KATC-exposed facilities using a structured real-time observation tool. We conducted 27 semi-structured interviews with course-trained providers to elucidate experiences of trauma care and factors that impact adoption of guideline-concordant behaviors. We assessed perceptions of trauma resource availability through a validated survey.

RESULTS

Of 23 resuscitations, 83% were managed without course-trained providers. Frontline providers inconsistently performed universally applicable assessments: pulse checks (61%), pulse oximetry (39%), lung auscultation (52%), blood pressure (65%), pupil examination (52%). We did not observe skill transference between trained and untrained providers. In interviews, respondents found KATC personally transformative but not sufficient for facility-wide improvement due to issues with retention, lack of trained peers, and resource shortages. Resource perception surveys similarly demonstrated profound resource shortages and variation across facilities.

CONCLUSIONS

Trained providers view short-term trauma training interventions positively, but these courses may lack long-term impact due to barriers to adopting best practices. Trauma courses should include more frontline providers, target skill transference and retention, and increase the proportion of trained providers at each facility to promote communities of practice. Essential supplies and infrastructure in facilities must be consistent for providers to practice what they have learned.

Costs of Physician Continuous Professional Development: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

An essential yet oft-neglected step in cost evaluations is the selection of resources (ingredients) to include in cost estimates. The ingredients that most influence the cost of physician continuous professional development (CPD) are unknown, as are the relative costs of instructional modalities. This study's purpose was to estimate the costs of cost ingredients and instructional modalities in physician CPD.

METHOD

The authors conducted a systematic review in April 2020, searching MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Library for comparative cost evaluations of CPD for practicing physicians. Two reviewers, working independently, screened articles for inclusion and extracted information on costs (converted to 2021 U.S. dollars) for each intervention overall, each ingredient, and each modality.

RESULTS

Of 3,338 eligible studies, 62 were included, enumerating costs for 86 discrete training interventions or instructional modalities. The most frequently reported ingredients were faculty time (25 of 86 interventions), materials (24), administrator/staff time (23), and travel (20). Ingredient costs varied widely, ranging from a per-physician median of $4 for postage (10 interventions) to $525 for learner time (13); equipment (9) and faculty time were also relatively expensive (median &gt; $170). Among instructional modalities (≤ 11 interventions per modality), audit and feedback performed by physician learners, computer-based modules, computer-based virtual patients, in-person lectures, and experiences with real patients were relatively expensive (median &gt; $1,000 per physician). Mailed paper materials, video clips, and audit and feedback performed by others were relatively inexpensive (median ≤ $62 per physician). Details regarding ingredient selection (10 of 62 studies), quantitation (10), and pricing (26) were reported infrequently.

CONCLUSIONS

Some ingredients, including time, are more important (i.e., contribute more to total costs) than others and should be prioritized in cost evaluations. Data on the relative costs of instructional modalities are insightful but limited. The methods and reporting of cost valuations merit improvement.

Costs and Cost-Effectiveness of mCME Version 2.0: An SMS-Based Continuing Medical Education Program for HIV Clinicians in Vietnam

This cost analysis found that a mobile phone-based continuing medical education (mCME) intervention, involving daily text messages with links to relevant materials, for HIV clinicians in northern Vietnam was relatively low-cost and cost-effective, particularly for future nationwide models. Such mobile approaches to CME are worthy of attention in resource-constrained settings.

Background:

The Mobile Continuing Medical Education (mCME) 2.0 project was a randomized controlled trial that found that a 6-month text message-based CME intervention improved both the use of online medical training resources and medical knowledge among a cadre of HIV clinicians in Vietnam. This companion study analyzed intervention costs and cost-effectiveness.

Methods:

We conducted (1) a financial analysis based on costs incurred during the trial’s planning and implementation; (2) an economic analysis to consider resource utilization; and (3) cost-effectiveness analyses to estimate cost inputs relative to impact: increase in self-study (measured by visits to online courses) and increase in knowledge (measured by exam score improvement) (in 2016 US$). Finally, we estimated the economic cost of a 9-month national program and a 10-year scaled-up model (in 2021 US$).

Results:

The total financial cost of the intervention was US$49,552; the main cost drivers were personnel time (71.4%) and technology inputs (14.9%). The total economic cost was estimated at US$92,212, with the same key cost inputs (representing 77.7% and 8.0%, respectively, of total costs). The financial cost per 10% increase in accessing online courses was US$923, while the cost of improving knowledge, measured by a 10% improvement in mean exam score across the study population, was US$32,057 (US$605 per intervention clinician). The comparable total economic cost of each improvement, respectively, was US$1,770 and US$61,452 (US$1,159 per intervention clinician). A future 9-month national program was estimated to cost US$37,403, while the full 10-year scaled-up program was estimated at US$196,446.

Conclusions:

This analysis indicates that leveraging mobile technology could be a feasible way to provide distance learning to health professions across Vietnam at a relatively low cost. Given the need for practical ways to expand CME in resource-constrained regions of the world, this approach warrants further study and possible adoption.

Barriers to Trauma Care in South and Central America: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Trauma is widespread in Central and South America and is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Providing high quality emergency trauma care is of great importance. Understanding the barriers to care is challenging; this systematic review aims to establish current the current challenges and barriers in providing high-quality trauma care within the 21 countries in the region.

METHODS

OVID Medline, Embase, EBM reviews and Global Health databases were systematically searched in October 2020. Records were screened by two independent researchers. Data were extracted according to a predetermined proforma. Studies of any type, published in the preceding decade were included, excluding grey literature and non-English records. Trauma was defined as blunt or penetrating injury from an external force. Studies were individually critically appraised and assessed for bias using the RTI item bank.

RESULTS

57 records met the inclusion criteria. 20 countries were covered at least once. Nine key barriers were identified: training (37/57), resources and equipment (33/57), protocols (29/57), staffing (17/57), transport and logistics (16/57), finance (15/57), socio-cultural (13/57), capacity (9/57), public education (4/57).

CONCLUSION

Nine key barriers negatively impact on the provision of high-quality trauma care and highlight potential areas for improving care in Central & South America. Many countries in the region, along with rural areas, are under-represented by the current literature and future research is urgently required to assess barriers to trauma management in these countries. No funding was received.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020220380.

Pre-course online cases for the world health organization's basic emergency care course in Uganda: A mixed methods analysis

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Short courses may address a significant gap in health worker training in basic emergency care in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Online open educational resources could enhance healthcare worker education in Sub-Saharan Africa as Internet access expands and costs decrease.

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Nurses and doctors show differential knowledge retention in blended short courses that may require targeted educational strategies.

Introduction

The Ministry of Health - Uganda implemented the World Health Organization's Basic Emergency Care course (BEC1) to improve formal emergency care training and address its high burden of acute illness and injury. The BEC is an open-access, in-person, short course that provides comprehensive basic emergency training in low-resource settings. A free, open-access series of pre-course online cases available as downloadable offline files were developed to improve knowledge acquisition and retention. We evaluated BEC participants’ knowledge and self-efficacy in emergency care provision with and without these cases and their perceptions of the cases.

Methods

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs2) and Likert-scale surveys assessed 137 providers’ knowledge and self-efficacy in emergency care provision, respectively, and focus group discussions explored 74 providers’ perceptions of the BEC course with cases in Kampala in this prospective, controlled study. Data was collected pre-BEC, post-BEC and six-months post-BEC. We used liability analysis and Cronbach alpha coefficients to establish intercorrelation between categorised Likert-scale items. We used mixed model analysis of variance to interpret Likert-scale and MCQ data and thematic content analysis to explore focus group discussions.

Results

Participants gained and maintained significant increases in MCQ averages (15%) and Likert-scale scores over time (p < 0.001). The intervention group scored significantly higher on the pre-test MCQ than controls (p = 0.004) and insignificantly higher at all other times (p > 0.05). Nurses experienced more significant initial gains and long-term decays in MCQ and self-efficacy than doctors (p = 0.009, p < 0.05). Providers found the cases most useful pre-BEC to preview course content but did not revisit them post-course. Technological difficulties and internet costs limited case usage.

Conclusion

Basic emergency care courses for low-resource settings can increase frontline providers’ long-term knowledge and self-efficacy in emergency care. Nurses experienced greater initial gains and long-term losses in knowledge than doctors. Online adjuncts may enhance health professional education in low-to-middle income countries.

Simulation Use in Outreach Setting: A Novel Approach to Building Sustainability

SUMMARY STATEMENT

Simulation is a well-studied teaching tool for multidisciplinary teamwork, crisis resource management, and communication skills. These attributes are essential for successful international medical missions, which include healthcare providers with different familiarities with the outreach environment and each team member's role. However, immersive simulation remains underused in similar settings. Our team designed a simulation-based curriculum that focuses on multidisciplinary teamwork and crisis resource management skills. In this commentary, we describe its implementation during high-risk cleft care outreach missions conducted by the Global Smile Foundation. We discuss the importance of a simple, feasible, and flexible platform to successfully overcome the limitations of time and resources inherent to outreach mission work while addressing the clinical and geographic needs specific to each site. We highlight challenges, including unpredictability of the outreach environment, a language barrier, and the short duration of missions. Finally, we offer a roadmap for groups involved in similar global health efforts.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the clinical training of last year medical students in Mexico: a cross-sectional nationwide study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented changes to medical education. However, no data are available regarding the impact the pandemic may have on medical training in Mexico. The aim of our study was to evaluate and identify the medical school students' perceptions of the changes in their clinical training due to the pandemic in Mexico.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study where a previous validated online survey was translated and adapted by medical education experts and applied to senior medical students from March to April of 2021. The 16-item questionnaire was distributed online combining dichotomous, multiple-choice, and 5-point Likert response scale questions. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed to compare the student's perceptions between public and private schools.

RESULTS

A total of 671 responses were included in the study period. Most participants were from public schools (81%) and female (61%). Almost every respondent (94%) indicated it was necessary to obtain COVID-19 education, yet only half (54%) received such training. Students in private schools were less likely to have their clinical instruction canceled (53% vs. 77%, p = 0.001) and more likely to have access to virtual instruction (46% vs. 22%, p = 0.001) when compared to students from public schools. Four out of every five students considered their training inferior to that of previous generations, and most students (82%) would consider repeating their final year of clinical training.

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of the COVID-19 on medical education in Mexico has been significant. Most final-year medical students have been affected by the cancellation of their in-person clinical instruction, for which the majority would consider repeating their final year of training. Efforts to counterbalance this lack of clinical experience with virtual or simulation instruction are needed.

Trauma Training Courses and Programs in Low- and Lower Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Injury is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in low- and lower middle-income countries (LMICs). Trauma training is a cost-effective way to improve injury outcomes. Several trauma programs have been implemented in LMICs; however, their scope and effectiveness remain unclear. In this review, we sought to describe and assess the current state of trauma training in LMICs.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health, Cochrane Library, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global for trauma training courses in LMICs. An additional gray literature search was conducted on university, governmental, and non- governmental organizations' websites to identify trauma-related postgraduate medical education (PGME) opportunities.

RESULTS

Most studies occurred in sub-Saharan Africa and participants were primarily physicians/surgeons, medical students/residents, and nurses. General and surgical trauma management courses were most common, followed by orthopedic trauma or plastic surgery trauma/burn care courses. 32/45 studies reported on participant knowledge and skills, 27 of which had minimal follow-up. Of the four studies commenting on cost of courses, only one demonstrated cost-effectiveness. Three articles evaluated post-course effects on patient outcomes, two of which failed to demonstrate significant improvements. Overall, 43.0% of LMICs have PGME programs with defined trauma competency requirements.

CONCLUSIONS

Current studies on trauma training in LMICs do not clearly demonstrate sustainability, cost-effectiveness, nor improved outcomes. Trauma training programs should be in response to a need, championed locally, and work within a cohesive system to demonstrate concrete benefits. We recommend standardized and contextualized trauma training with recertifications in LMICs for lasting and improved trauma care.

Assessment of Trauma Care Capacity in Karachi, Pakistan: Toward an Integrated Trauma Care System

BACKGROUND

Pakistan is a lower-middle-income country with a high burden of injuries. Karachi, its most populated city, lacks a trauma care system due to which trauma patients do not receive the required care. We conducted an assessment of the existing facilities for trauma care in Karachi.

METHODS

Twenty-two tertiary and secondary hospitals from public and private sectors across Karachi were assessed. The Guidelines for Essential Trauma Care (GETC) tool was used to collect information about the availability of skills, knowledge, and equipment at these facilities.

RESULTS

Among tertiary hospitals (n = 7), private sector hospitals had a better median (IQR) score, 90.4 (81.8-93.1), as compared to the public sector hospitals, 44.1 (29.3-75.8). Among secondary hospitals (n = 15), private sector hospitals had a better median (IQR) score, 70.3 (67.8-77.7), as compared to the public sector hospitals, 39.7 (21.9-53.3).

DISCUSSION

This study identifies considerable deficiencies in trauma care in Karachi and provides objective data that can guide urgently needed reforms tailored to this city's needs. On a systems level, it delineates the need for a regulatory framework to define trauma care levels and designate selected hospitals across the city accordingly. Using these data, improvement in trauma care systems can be achieved through collaboration and partnership between public and private stakeholders.

What do we mean by individual capacity strengthening for primary health care in low- and middle-income countries? A systematic scoping review to improve conceptual clarity

BACKGROUND

Capacity strengthening of primary health care workers is widely used as a means to strengthen health service delivery, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Despite the widespread recognition of the importance of capacity strengthening to improve access to quality health care, how the term 'capacity strengthening' is both used and measured varies substantially across the literature. This scoping review sought to identify the most common domains of individual capacity strengthening, as well as their most common forms of measurement, to generate a better understanding of what is meant by the term 'capacity strengthening' for primary health care workers.

METHODS

Six electronic databases were searched for studies published between January 2000 and October 2020. A total of 4474 articles were screened at title and abstract phase and 323 full-text articles were reviewed. 55 articles were ultimately identified for inclusion, covering various geographic settings and health topics.

RESULTS

Capacity strengthening is predominantly conceptualised in relation to knowledge and skills, as either sole domains of capacity, or used in combination with other domains including self-efficacy, practices, ability, and competencies. Capacity strengthening is primarily measured using pre- and post-tests, practical evaluations, and observation. These occur along study-specific indicators, though some pre-existing, validated tools are also used.

CONCLUSION

The concept of capacity strengthening for primary health care workers reflected across a number of relevant frameworks and theories differs from what is commonly seen in practice. A framework of individual capacity strengthening across intra-personal, inter-personal, and technical domains is proposed, as an initial step towards building a common consensus of individual capacity strengthening for future work.

Simulation capacity building in rural Indian hospitals: a 1-year follow-up qualitative analysis

Introduction

The benefits of simulation-based medical training are well described. The most effective way to plant and scale simulation training in rural locations remains undescribed. We sought to plant simulation training programmes for anaesthesia emergencies in two rural Indian hospitals.

Methods

Two Indian consultant anaesthetists without experience in medical simulation underwent a 3-day course at the Boston Children’s Hospital’s (BCH) Simulator Program. They returned to their institutions and launched simulation programmes with an airway manikin and mock patient monitor. The 1-year experience was evaluated using individual, in-depth interviews of simulation facilitators. Three staff members (responsible for facilitating medical simulations over the prior year) at two rural hospitals in India were interviewed. None attended the BCH training; instead, they received on-the-job training from the BCH-trained, consultant anaesthetist colleagues.

Results

Successes included organisational adoption of simulation training with exercises 1 year after the initial BCH-training, increased interdisciplinary teamwork and improved clinical competency in managing emergencies. Barriers to effective, local implementation of simulation programmes fell into three categories: time required to run simulations, fixed and rigid roles, and variable resources. Thematic improvement requests were for standardised resources to help train simulation facilitators and demonstrate to participants a well-run simulation, in addition to context-sensitive scenarios.

Conclusion

An in-person training of simulation facilitators to promote medical simulation programmes in rural hospitals produced ongoing simulation programmes 1 year later. In order to make these programmes sustainable, however, increased investment in developing simulation facilitators is required. In particular, simulation facilitators must be prepared to formally train other simulation facilitators, too.

Establishing a Low-Resource Simulation Emergency Medicine Curriculum in Nepal

INTRODUCTION

High-fidelity medical simulation is widely used in emergency medicine training because it mirrors the fast-paced environment of the emergency department (ED). However, simulation is not common in emergency medicine training programs in lower-resourced countries as cost, availability of resources, and faculty experience are potential limitations. We initiated a simulation curriculum in a low-resource environment.

METHODS

We created a simulation lab for medical officers and students on their emergency medicine rotation at a teaching hospital in Patan, Nepal, with 48,000 ED patient visits per year. We set up a simulation lab consisting of a room with one manikin, an intubation trainer, and a projector displaying a simulation cardiac monitor. In this environment, we ran a total of eight cases over 4 simulation days. Debriefing was done at the end of each case. At the end of the curriculum, an electronic survey was delivered to the medical officers to seek improvement for future cases.

RESULTS

All eight cases were well received, and learners appreciated the safe learning space and teamwork. Of note, the first simulation case that was run (the airway lab) was more difficult for learners due to lack of experience. Survey feedback included improving the debriefing content and adding further procedural skills training.

DISCUSSION

Simulation is a valuable experience for learners in any environment. Although resources may be limited abroad, a sustainable simulation lab can be constructed and potentially play a supportive role in developing an emergency medicine curriculum.

Community-based in situ simulation: bringing simulation to the masses

Simulation-based methods are regularly used to train inter-professional groups of healthcare providers at academic medical centers (AMC). These techniques are used less frequently in community hospitals. Bringing in-situ simulation (ISS) from AMCs to community sites is an approach that holds promise for addressing this disparity. This type of programming allows academic center faculty to freely share their expertise with community site providers. By creating meaningful partnerships community-based ISS facilitates the communication of best practices, distribution of up to date policies, and education/training. It also provides an opportunity for system testing at the community sites. In this article, we illustrate the process of implementing an outreach ISS program at community sites by presenting four exemplar programs. Using these exemplars as a springboard for discussion, we outline key lessons learned discuss barriers we encountered, and provide a framework that can be used to create similar simulation programs and partnerships. It is our hope that this discussion will serve as a foundation for those wishing to implement community-based, outreach ISS.

Self-assessment of Skills by Surgeons and Anesthesiologists After a Trauma Surgery Masterclass

BACKGROUND

In the Netherlands, each year a three-day international multidisciplinary trauma masterclass is organized to provide the knowledge and skills needed to care for critically injured trauma patients. This study was designed to longitudinally evaluate the effect of the course on participant's self-assessment of their own ability and confidence to perform general and specific skills.

METHODS

Between 2013 and 2016, all participants were invited to complete a questionnaire before and during follow-up. Participants were asked to self-assess their level of confidence to perform general skills (communication, teamwork, leadership) and specific skills. Mean scores were calculated, and mixed models were used to evaluate correlation.

RESULTS

We asked 265 participants to participate. Response rate was 64% for the pre-questionnaire, 63% for the post-questionnaire and for 3 months, 1 year and 2 years, respectively, 40%, 30%, 20%. The surgical group showed a statistically significant increase in self-assessed confidence for general skills (3.82-4.20) and specific technical skills (3.01-3.83; p < 0.001). In the anesthetic group, self-assessed confidence increased significantly in general skills (3.72-4.26) and specific technical skills (3.33-4.08; p < 0.001). For both groups statistical significance remained during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated a sustained positive effect of a dedicated multidisciplinary trauma training curriculum on participant's self-assessed confidence to perform both general and specific technical skills necessary for the care of injured patients. Given the known association between confidence and competence, these findings provide evidence that dedicated trauma training curricula can provide positive lasting results.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

This is a basic science paper and therefore does not require a level of evidence.

Rapid cycle deliberate practice vs. traditional simulation in a resource-limited setting

BACKGROUND

We sought to develop a low-fidelity simulation-based curriculum for pediatric residents in Rwanda utilizing either rapid cycle deliberate practice (RCDP) or traditional debriefing, and to determine whether RCDP leads to greater improvement in simulation-based performance and in resident confidence compared with traditional debriefing.

METHODS

Pediatric residents at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Kigali (CHUK) were randomly assigned to RCDP or traditional simulation and completed a 6 month-long simulation-based curriculum designed to improve pediatric resuscitation skills. Pre- and post- performance was assessed using a modified version of the Simulation Team Assessment Tool (STAT). Each video-taped simulation was reviewed by two investigators and inter-rater reliability was assessed. Self-confidence in resuscitation, pre- and post-simulation, was assessed by Likert scale survey. Analyses were conducted using parametric and non-parametric testing, ANCOVA and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC).

RESULTS

There was a 21% increase in pre- to post-test performance in both groups (p < 0.001), but no difference between groups (mean difference - 0.003%; p 0.94). Inter-rater reliability was exceptional with both pre and post ICCs ≥0.95 (p < 0.001). Overall, self-confidence scores improved from pre to post (24.0 vs. 30.0 respectively, p < 0.001), however, the there was no difference between the RCDP and traditional groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Completion of a six-month low-fidelity simulation-based curriculum for pediatric residents in Rwanda led to statistically significant improvement in performance on a simulated resuscitation. RCDP and traditional low-fidelity simulation-based instruction may both be valuable tools to improve resuscitation skills in pediatric residents in resource-limited settings.

Backward Planning a Craniomaxillofacial Trauma Curriculum for the Surgical Workforce in Low-Resource Settings

BACKGROUND

Trauma is a significant contributor to global disease, and low-income countries disproportionately shoulder this burden. Education and training are critical components in the effort to address the surgical workforce shortage. Educators can tailor training to a diverse background of health professionals in low-resource settings using competency-based curricula. We present a process for the development of a competency-based curriculum for low-resource settings in the context of craniomaxillofacial (CMF) trauma education.

METHODS

CMF trauma surgeons representing 7 low-, middle-, and high-income countries conducted a standardized educational curriculum development program. Patient problems related to facial injuries were identified and ranked from highest to lowest morbidity. Higher morbidity problems were categorized into 4 modules with agreed upon competencies. Methods of delivery (lectures, case discussions, and practical exercises) were selected to optimize learning of each competency.

RESULTS

A facial injuries educational curriculum (1.5 days event) was tailored to health professionals with diverse training backgrounds who care for CMF trauma patients in low-resource settings. A backward planned, competency-based curriculum was organized into four modules titled: acute (emergent), eye (periorbital injuries and sight preserving measures), mouth (dental injuries and fracture care), and soft tissue injury treatments. Four courses have been completed with pre- and post-course assessments completed.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgeons and educators from a diverse geographic background found the backward planning curriculum development method effective in creating a competency-based facial injuries (trauma) course for health professionals in low-resource settings, where contextual aspects of shortages of surgical capacity, equipment, and emergency transportation must be considered.

Addressing the immediate need for emergency providers in resource-limited settings: the model of a six-month emergency medicine curriculum in Haiti

Background

In many resource-limited settings, emergency medicine (EM) is underdeveloped and formal EM training limited. Residencies and fellowships are an ideal long-term solution but cannot meet immediate needs for emergency providers, while short-term programs are often too limited in content. We describe a third method successfully implemented in Haiti: a medium-duration certificate program to meet the immediate need for emergency specialists.

Methods

In conjunction with the Haitian Ministry of Health and National Medical School, we developed and implemented a novel, 6-month EM certificate program to build human resources for health and emergency care capacity. The program consisted of didactic and supervised clinical components, covering core content in EM. Didactics included lectures, simulations, hands-on skill-sessions, and journal clubs. Supervised clinical time reinforced concepts and taught an EM approach to patient care.

Results

Fourteen physicians from around Haiti successfully completed the program; all improved from their pre-test to post-test. At the end of the program and 9-month post-program evaluations, participants rated the program highly, and most felt they used their new knowledge daily. Participants found clinical supervision and simulation particularly useful.

Key components to our program’s success included collaboration with the Ministry of Health and National Medical School, supervised clinical time, and the continual presence of a course director. The program could be improved by a more flexible curriculum and by grouping participants by baseline knowledge levels.

Conclusion

Medium-duration certificate programs offer a viable option for addressing immediate human resource gaps in emergency care, and our program offers a model for implementation in resource-limited settings. Similar options should be considered for other emerging specialties in resource-limited settings.

Health Care Simulation in Developing Countries and Low-Resource Situations

INTRODUCTION

Health care simulation, as a complement to traditional learning, has spread widely and seems to benefit both students and patients. The teaching methods involved in health care simulation require substantial human, logistical, and financial investments that might preclude their spread in developing countries. The aim of this study was to analyze the health care simulation experiences in developing countries.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was performed from January 2000 to December 2016. Articles reporting studies on educational health care simulation in developing countries were included.

RESULTS

In total, 1161 publications were retrieved, of which 156 were considered eligible based on title and abstract screening. Thirty articles satisfied our predefined selection criteria. Most of the studies were case series; 76.7% (23/30) were prospective and comparative, and five were randomized trials. The development of dedicated task trainers and telesimulation were the primary techniques assessed. The retrieved studies showed encouraging trends in terms of trainee satisfaction with improvement after training, but the improvements were mainly tested on the training tool itself. Two of the tools have been proven to be construct valid with clinical impact.

CONCLUSION

Health care simulation in developing countries seems feasible with encouraging results. Higher-quality studies are required to assess the educational value and promote the development of health care simulation programs.

Assessing the impact of an emergency trauma course for senior medical students in Kenya

Introduction

Ninety percent of all injury-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. The WHO recommends short, resource-specific trauma courses for healthcare providers. Studies show that teaching trauma courses to medical students in developed countries leads to significant increases in knowledge and skill. High costs hinder widespread and sustained teaching of these courses in low-income countries.

Methods

A two-day trauma course was designed for students at Moi College of Health Sciences in Eldoret, Kenya. Participants underwent pre- and post-course written and simulation testing and rated their confidence in 21 clinical scenarios and 15 procedures pre- and post-course using a five point Likert scale. A subset of the students was re-evaluated nine months post-course. Using the paired t-test, mean written, simulation and confidence scores were compared pre-course, immediately post-course and nine months post-course.

Results

Twenty-two students were enrolled. Written test score means were 61.5% pre-course and 76.9% post-course, mean difference 15.5% (p < 0.001). Simulation test score means were 36.7% pre-course and 82.2% post-course, mean difference 45.5% (p < 0.001). Aggregate confidence scores were 3.21 pre-course and 4.72 post-course (scale 1–5). Ten out of 22 (45.5%) students were re-evaluated nine months post-course. Results showed written test score mean of 75%, simulation score mean of 61.7%, and aggregate confidence score of 4.59 (scale 1–5). Mean differences between immediate post- and nine months post-course were 1.6% (p = 0.75) and 8.7% (p = 0.10) for the written and simulation tests, respectively.

Conclusion

Senior Kenyan medical students demonstrated statistically significant increases in knowledge, skills and confidence after participating in a novel student trauma course. Nine months post-course, improvements in knowledge skills and confidence were sustained.

Simulation-based trauma education for medical students: A review of literature

BACKGROUND

Medical students often do not feel prepared to manage emergency situations after graduation. They experience a lack of practical skills and show significant deficits in cognitive performance to assess and stabilize trauma patients. Most reports in the literature about simulation-based education pertain to postgraduate training. Simulation-based trauma education (SBTE) in undergraduate medical education could improve confidence and performance of recently graduated doctors in trauma resuscitation. We reviewed the literature in search of SBTE effectiveness for medical students.

METHODS

A PubMed, Embase and CINAHL literature search was performed to identify all studies that reported on the effectiveness of SBTE for medical students, on student perception on SBTE or on the effectiveness of different simulation modalities.

RESULTS

Eight studies were included. Three out of four studies reporting on the effectiveness of SBTE demonstrated an increase in performance of students after SBTE. SBTE is generally highly appreciated by medical students. Only one study directly compared two modalities of SBTE and reported favorable results for the mechanical model rather than the standardized live patient model.

CONCLUSION

SBTE appears to be an effective method to prepare medical students for trauma resuscitation. Furthermore, students enjoy SBTE and they perceive SBTE as a very useful learning method.

The East African Training Initiative. A Model Training Program in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine for Low-Income Countries

Despite an extensive burden of lung disease in East Africa, there are remarkably few pulmonary physicians in the region and no pulmonary subspecialty training programs. We developed a unique training program for pulmonary medicine in Ethiopia. The East African Training Initiative (EATI) is a 2-year fellowship program at Tikur Anbessa (Black Lion) Specialized Teaching Hospital, the largest public hospital in Ethiopia and the teaching hospital for the Addis Ababa University School of Medicine. The first year is devoted to clinical care and procedural skills. Lectures, conferences, daily inpatient and outpatient rounds, and procedure supervision by visiting faculty provide the clinical knowledge foundation. In the second year, training in clinical research is added to ongoing clinical training. Before graduation, fellows must pass rigorous written and oral examinations and achieve high marks on faculty evaluations. Funding derives from several sources. Ethiopian trainees are paid by the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and the Addis Ababa University School of Medicine. The World Lung Foundation and the Swiss Lung Foundation supply travel and housing costs for visiting faculty, who receive no other stipend. The first two trainees graduated in January 2015, and a second class of three fellows completed training in January 2016. All five presented research abstracts at the annual meetings of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease in 2014 and 2015. The EATI has successfully provided pulmonary medicine training in Ethiopia and has capacity for local leadership. We believe that EATI could be a model for other resource-limited countries.

Analysis of trauma admission data at an urban hospital in Maputo, Mozambique

Background

Trauma is a major public health concern. Worldwide, injuries resulted in 4.8 million deaths in 2013, an increase of 11 % since 1990. The majority of deaths from trauma in low-and middle-income countries occur in a pre-hospital setting. Morbidity from trauma contributes significantly to disability in these countries. Mozambique has experienced a rise in injury-related morbidity and mortality. Efforts are underway to prioritize surgical and anesthesiology care in the post-2015 Global Surgery agenda that will build on momentum of the Millennium Development Goals. Injury surveillance remains vital to defining priorities and implementing policy changes.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study between June and September, 2010 at the Hospital Central de Maputo (HCM). Data were collected on all patients admitted to the HCM emergency surgical services with a diagnosis of trauma. We describe patient characteristics and mechanism of traumatic injury by calculating simple proportions (for dichotomous or categorical variables) or medians with interquartile ranges (IQR) for continuous variables. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the mechanisms of trauma most associated with alcohol consumption.

Results

A total of 517 patients were approached for inclusion in this study. Of these, 441 (91.5 %) participants were followed from admission until discharge. Three hundred twenty-four participants (73.5 %) were male. The most common age group was 20–29 years old. The three principal mechanisms of injury were road traffic injury, fighting, and falls, accounting for 74 % of injuries recorded. Traumatic injury involving alcohol consumption was nine times more likely to occur at a recreation/sporting event (OR 9.0, 95 % CI 3.01–27.13, p ≤ 0.0001).

Conclusions

As Mozambique prepares to respond to the post-2015 international development agenda, urgent action is required to scale-up its national injury surveillance networks. Injury prevention efforts in Mozambique should focus attention on improving road safety regulations and their implementation, as well as on interventions targeting violence reduction and the reduction of alcohol consumption at sporting events.

Paediatric trauma resuscitation: an update

Purpose

Paediatric trauma is the leading cause of mortality in children. Paediatric trauma resuscitation is the first and foremost step towards a successful treatment and subsequent recovery. Significant advances have taken place in the last years in relation to this field of trauma care.

Methods

In this narrative review, we attempt to summarise the recent development in the concepts of fluid resuscitation, massive transfusion, permissive resuscitation, management of coagulopathy and use of tranexamic acid, literature pertaining to implementation of transfusion protocols in the paediatric population and education related to the paediatric trauma resuscitation.

Results/Conclusions

The current evidence although emerging is still sparse and high-quality studies are needed to shed more light on most of the above domains of resuscitation.