A. Chaturvedi1, Y. V. Pei2, A. Mohammed3, D. Clapp1, D. M. Allin4, C. Orner5, M. Narayan1 1University Of Maryland,R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center,Baltimore, MD, USA 2University Of Maryland,Department Of Emergency Medicine,Baltimore, MD, USA 3Calderdale Royal Hospital,Department Of Emergency Medicine,Halifax, WEST YORKSHIRE, United Kingdom 4University Of Kansas,Department Of Medicine,Lawrence, KS, USA 5Heart To Heart International,Olathe, KS, USA 6China 120,Trauma And Emergency Responce Center,Chengdu, SICHUAN, China
Introduction:
The practice of emergency medicine in China officially began only 28 years ago. However, due to a lack of standardized formal training for emergency medical practitioners, the practice of trauma and emergency care in China is still in early development. Pre-hospital providers in China are typically physicians and nurses who undergo fragmented training at sites that hold variable certification requirements. International speakers are often invited to participate in the instruction of medical professionals. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of an English-based trauma and emergency medicine training module on participants’ confidence in knowledge and skills.
Methods:
An English-based training module was established in conjunction with several international institutions and the Chengdu 120 Center, Chengdu, China. 4 days of structured training in English with consecutive Chinese translation consisted of didactic presentations and practical skills stations targeting nurses and physicians. Participants completed surveys assessing pre and post confidence in knowledge and skills using a semantic differential scale.
Results:
A total of 101 surveys were collected from 63 doctors and 38 nurses from Chengdu. 48% of participants were male. 71% of all participants were between the ages of 20 and 39. Education ranged from high school to master’s level of training. 66% of participants reported having received formal training in trauma within the last 2 years and 56% reported having received formal training in disaster management. Of the 101 surveys, 86 (55 doctors and 31 nurses) were complete for statistical analysis. Student’s t test revealed a statistically significant increase in perceived confidence level in all of the 14 topics of instruction (p<.0001). An increase in confidence was reported in both physicians and nurses, regardless of the participant’s years of experience in his or her respective occupation. Improvement was also significant irrespective of the participant’s previous training experience within the last 2 years.
Conclusion:
Trauma and emergency medical services have limited capacity in most areas of China. Foreign instructors are often invited to participate in health provider instruction. Potential barriers to the success of such a program include language and teaching style. A structured educational program based in English with consecutive Chinese translation positively impacted confidence levels of first responders in Chengdu, China. Participants felt more competent in all areas of topics and skills of instruction, which may ultimately improve provider skills in pre-hospital management of trauma and emergencies. These responses were seen in physicians and nurses across all experience levels. The collaboration between local Chinese and international medical professionals may help improve current Chinese emergency medical practices.