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Thies KC, Bergmans E, Billington A, Fraga GP, Trummer F, Nasr AO, Tilsed J, Kamaras G, Cebula G, Protic A, Khalifa GEA, Vänni V, Alouini S, Uštar KK, Perfetti P, Sari F, Cimpoesu D, Cassar MR, Lott C, Blondeel L, Kooij F, Neutel E, Verdonck P. The European Trauma Course: Transforming systems through training. Resusc Plus 2024; 18:100599. [PMID: 38515443 PMCID: PMC10955415 DOI: 10.1016/j.resplu.2024.100599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The European Trauma Course (ETC) exemplifies an innovative approach to multispecialty trauma education. This initiative was started as a collaborative effort among the European Society for Emergency Medicine, the European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery, and the European Society of Anaesthesiology under the auspices of the European Resuscitation Council. With the robust support of these societies, the project has evolved into the independent European Trauma Course Organisation. Over the past 15 years, the ETC has transcended traditional training by integrating team dynamics and non-technical skills into a scenario-based simulation course, helping to shape trauma care practice and education. A distinctive feature of the ETC is its training of doctors and allied healthcare professionals, fostering a collaborative and holistic approach to trauma care. The ETC stands out for its unique team-teaching approach, which has gained widespread recognition as the standard for in-hospital trauma care training not only in Europe but also beyond. Since its inception ETC has expanded geographically from Finland to Sudan and from Brazil to the Emirates, training nearly 20,000 healthcare professionals and shaping trauma care practice and education across 25 countries. Experiencing exponential growth, the ETC continues to evolve, reflecting its unmet demand in trauma team education. This review examines the evolution of the ETC, its innovative team-teaching methodology, national implementation strategies, current status, and future challenges. It highlights its impact on trauma care, team training, and the effect on other life support courses in various countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl-Christian Thies
- EvKB, Dept of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Bielefeld University Medical Center-Campus Bethel, Bielefeld, Germany
- European Trauma Course Organisation, Niel, Belgium
| | - Elonka Bergmans
- EvKB, Dept of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Bielefeld University Medical Center-Campus Bethel, Bielefeld, Germany
| | | | - Gustavo P. Fraga
- Dept of Trauma Surgery, Vera Cruz Hospital-Trauma Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | | | - Ayman O. Nasr
- Trauma Unit, King Fahad University Hospital & College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jonathan Tilsed
- European Trauma Course Organisation, Niel, Belgium
- Hull York Medical School, United Kingdom
- UEMS Division of Emergency Surgery, European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery, United Kingdom
| | - Georgie Kamaras
- Luton and Dunstable University Hospital, Luton, United Kingdom
| | - Gregorz Cebula
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Center for Innovative Medical Education, Kraków, Poland
| | - Alen Protic
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Medicine and Pain Therapy, University Hospital Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Gamal Eldin Abbas Khalifa
- European Trauma Course Organisation, Niel, Belgium
- Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Egyptian Resuscitation Council, Egypt
| | | | | | - Katja Kalan Uštar
- Dept of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Trbovlje General Hospital, Trbovlje, Slovenia
| | - Paola Perfetti
- Emergency Department at Latisana, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, Italy
| | - Ferenc Sari
- European Trauma Course Organisation, Niel, Belgium
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Skellefteå Hospital, Region Västerbotten, Sweden
| | - Diana Cimpoesu
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, Emergency Medicine, II-nd Surgery Department, Hospital “Sf. Spiridon” Iasi, Romania
| | - Mary Rose Cassar
- Emergency Department, Mater Dei Hospital, Malta, University of Malta, Malta
| | - Carsten Lott
- European Trauma Course Organisation, Niel, Belgium
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Universitätsmedizin Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Fabian Kooij
- European Trauma Course Organisation, Niel, Belgium
- Anesthesiologie Amsterdam UMC, locatie AMC, Amsterdam Zuidoost, Netherlands
| | - Elizabete Neutel
- European Trauma Course Organisation, Niel, Belgium
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Emergency. Unidade Local de Saúde de Santo António, Porto, Portugal
| | - Philip Verdonck
- Emergency Departement, Antwerp University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium
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Bergmans E, Billington A, Thies KC. From tradition to innovation: a comparison of the traditional 4-step approach versus a blended learning modification for technical skills teaching. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2023; 31:80. [PMID: 37964361 PMCID: PMC10644658 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-023-01127-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This experimental study was performed to evaluate the role of blended learning for technical skill teaching on the European Trauma Course (ETC). While online modules are extensively used for theoretical teaching, their role in skills training remains less well explored. The ETC currently relies on the established 4-step technique for teaching technical skills. However, the required large cohort of skilled instructors and the time intensity prove increasingly challenging in a current climate of staff shortages and funding constraints. This study assesses if blended learning, combining pre-course online elements with face-to-face training matches the effectiveness of the traditional 4-step approach whilst being more time-efficient. METHODS In a randomised, multi-centre trial, the conventional face-to-face 4-step technique for teaching a skill of medium complexity, the application of a pelvic binder, was compared with an innovative blended approach. It was hypothesised that the blended approach was non-inferior for skill performance measured after the teaching session and after two days (skill retention) with the time needed for teaching and student/teacher satisfaction as secondary outcomes. RESULTS Ninety participants, divided into 44 traditional and 46 blended method students, were analysed. Independent-samples t-test showed no significant difference in performance scores and non-inferiority of the blended approach with a half of one standard deviation margin. A statistically significant difference in mean retention scores favored the blended approach. A Mann-Whitney U Test revealed no significant difference in candidate satisfaction levels but a statistically significant difference in instructors' satisfaction levels in favour of the blended approach. Analysis with Welch' t-test demonstrated that the face-to-face teaching time needed for the blended approach was significantly shorter (by 6 min). CONCLUSIONS The integration of a blended approach with the 4-step technique for teaching pelvic binder application in the ETC streamlined teaching without compromising skill acquisition quality. This innovative approach addresses traditional limitations and shows promise in adapting medical education to modern learning and teaching demands. We suggest that blended learning could also be applied for other skills taught on life support courses. TRIAL REGISTRATION University of Dundee (Schools of Medicine and Life sciences Research Ethics Committee, REC number 22/59, 28th June 2022).
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Affiliation(s)
- Elonka Bergmans
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensiv-, Notfallmedizin, Transfusionsmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Ev. Klinikum Bethel, Universitätsklinikum OWL der Universität Bielefeld, Campus Bielefeld, Bethel, Burgstieg 13, 33617, Bielefeld, Germany.
- Centre for Medical Education, University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee, Scotland, UK.
| | - Alistair Billington
- European Trauma Course Organisation, PO Box 452, Market Drayton, TF9 9FB, UK
| | - Karl-Christian Thies
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensiv-, Notfallmedizin, Transfusionsmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Ev. Klinikum Bethel, Universitätsklinikum OWL der Universität Bielefeld, Campus Bielefeld, Bethel, Burgstieg 13, 33617, Bielefeld, Germany
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