Rapid cycle training for non-critical care physicians to meet intensive care unit staff shortage at an academic training center in a developing country during the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract Background The sudden unexpected increase in critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICUs), resulted in an urgent need for expanding the physician workforce. A COVID-19 critical care crash (5C) course was implemented to introduce physicians without formal critical...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04478-9 |
| _version_ | 1797784539322384384 |
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| author | Abdullah Bakhsh Razan Asiri Hadeel Alotaibi Rowida Alsaeedi Raghad Shahbar Abdulaziz Boker |
| author_facet | Abdullah Bakhsh Razan Asiri Hadeel Alotaibi Rowida Alsaeedi Raghad Shahbar Abdulaziz Boker |
| author_sort | Abdullah Bakhsh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The sudden unexpected increase in critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICUs), resulted in an urgent need for expanding the physician workforce. A COVID-19 critical care crash (5C) course was implemented to introduce physicians without formal critical care training to care for critically ill COVID-19 patients. Upon successful completion of the course, physicians were recruited to work in a COVID-19 ICU under the supervision of a board-certified critical care physician. The aim of this study is to describe the methods of a novel course designed specifically to teach the management critically ill COVID-19 patients, while assessing change in knowledge, skill competency, and self-reported confidence. Methods The blended focused 5C course is composed of both virtual and practical components. Candidates may register for the practical component only after successful completion of the virtual component. We assessed knowledge acquisition using a multiple-choice question test (pre- and post-test assessment), skill competency, and self-reported confidence levels during simulated patient settings. Paired T-test was used to compare before and after course results. Results Sixty-five physicians/trainees from different specialties were included in the analysis. Knowledge significantly increased from 14.92± 3.20 (out of 20 multiple-choice questions) to 18.81± 1.40 (p< 0.01), skill competence during practical stations had a mean minimum of 2 (out of 3), and self-reported confidence during a simulated patient setting increased significantly from 4.98± 1.15 (out of 10) to 8.76± 1.10 (out of 10) (p< 0.01). Conclusion We describe our initiative in increasing the ICU physician workforce in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The blended 5C course is a valuable educational program designed by experts from different backgrounds. Future research should be directed at examining outcomes of patients associated with graduates of such program. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:41:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1bfc9a902af940f487f1ceeee3cb8664 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:41:20Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-1bfc9a902af940f487f1ceeee3cb86642023-07-09T11:16:56ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202023-07-012311610.1186/s12909-023-04478-9Rapid cycle training for non-critical care physicians to meet intensive care unit staff shortage at an academic training center in a developing country during the COVID-19 pandemicAbdullah Bakhsh0Razan Asiri1Hadeel Alotaibi2Rowida Alsaeedi3Raghad Shahbar4Abdulaziz Boker5Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz UniversityFaculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz UniversityFaculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz UniversityFaculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz UniversityFaculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz UniversityDepartment of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz UniversityAbstract Background The sudden unexpected increase in critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICUs), resulted in an urgent need for expanding the physician workforce. A COVID-19 critical care crash (5C) course was implemented to introduce physicians without formal critical care training to care for critically ill COVID-19 patients. Upon successful completion of the course, physicians were recruited to work in a COVID-19 ICU under the supervision of a board-certified critical care physician. The aim of this study is to describe the methods of a novel course designed specifically to teach the management critically ill COVID-19 patients, while assessing change in knowledge, skill competency, and self-reported confidence. Methods The blended focused 5C course is composed of both virtual and practical components. Candidates may register for the practical component only after successful completion of the virtual component. We assessed knowledge acquisition using a multiple-choice question test (pre- and post-test assessment), skill competency, and self-reported confidence levels during simulated patient settings. Paired T-test was used to compare before and after course results. Results Sixty-five physicians/trainees from different specialties were included in the analysis. Knowledge significantly increased from 14.92± 3.20 (out of 20 multiple-choice questions) to 18.81± 1.40 (p< 0.01), skill competence during practical stations had a mean minimum of 2 (out of 3), and self-reported confidence during a simulated patient setting increased significantly from 4.98± 1.15 (out of 10) to 8.76± 1.10 (out of 10) (p< 0.01). Conclusion We describe our initiative in increasing the ICU physician workforce in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The blended 5C course is a valuable educational program designed by experts from different backgrounds. Future research should be directed at examining outcomes of patients associated with graduates of such program.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04478-9Health simulation trainingSkillsCompetenceCrisisCapacity building |
| spellingShingle | Abdullah Bakhsh Razan Asiri Hadeel Alotaibi Rowida Alsaeedi Raghad Shahbar Abdulaziz Boker Rapid cycle training for non-critical care physicians to meet intensive care unit staff shortage at an academic training center in a developing country during the COVID-19 pandemic BMC Medical Education Health simulation training Skills Competence Crisis Capacity building |
| title | Rapid cycle training for non-critical care physicians to meet intensive care unit staff shortage at an academic training center in a developing country during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Rapid cycle training for non-critical care physicians to meet intensive care unit staff shortage at an academic training center in a developing country during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Rapid cycle training for non-critical care physicians to meet intensive care unit staff shortage at an academic training center in a developing country during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rapid cycle training for non-critical care physicians to meet intensive care unit staff shortage at an academic training center in a developing country during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Rapid cycle training for non-critical care physicians to meet intensive care unit staff shortage at an academic training center in a developing country during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | rapid cycle training for non critical care physicians to meet intensive care unit staff shortage at an academic training center in a developing country during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | Health simulation training Skills Competence Crisis Capacity building |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04478-9 |
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