Managing medical emergencies: Sustainable pre-hospital medical education in Rwanda
INTRODUCTION: In Rwanda, non-communicable diseases accounted for 44% of all reported deaths as of 2016. Yet, there is very limited data on pre-hospital management of emergency medical conditions in LMICs. We evaluated the impact of a pre-hospital medical emergencies training course and train-the-tra...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC)/Rwanda Health Communication Center
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | Rwanda Medical Journal |
| Subjects: |
| _version_ | 1797659190562390016 |
|---|---|
| author | A. Shustak J. M. Uwitonze I. Kabagema M. Wojick B. Asay A. Louka L. Wolfe T. Dushime S. Jayaraman |
| author_facet | A. Shustak J. M. Uwitonze I. Kabagema M. Wojick B. Asay A. Louka L. Wolfe T. Dushime S. Jayaraman |
| author_sort | A. Shustak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | INTRODUCTION: In Rwanda, non-communicable diseases accounted for 44% of all reported deaths as of 2016. Yet, there is very limited data on pre-hospital management of emergency medical conditions in LMICs. We evaluated the impact of a pre-hospital medical emergencies training course and train-the-trainers program for Service d’Aide Medicale Urgente (SAMU) to address the burden of NCDs.
METHODS: A 100-question baseline assessment was administered to 25 SAMU staff to assess knowledge of basic anatomy, physiology, medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics, trauma, and scene safety. A two-day Emergency Medical Care Course (EMCC) was developed. Two cohorts (one for instructors and another one for staff) from ten district and provincial hospitals. EMCC 1 and a one- day educator course were conducted for the instructor core. They then taught the second cohort of trainees (EMCC 2).
RESULTS: In the baseline assessment of 25 SAMU staff, the median score was 56% overall and 54% in medical. EMCC 1 median scores were 43% vs 86% (pre vs post), p<0.001 using matched pair analysis of 18 participants. EMCC 2 median scores were 45% vs 82% (pre vs post), p<0.001 using matched pair analysis of 16 participants. A one-way ANOVA mean square analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the two cohorts post-training, with similar post- assessment scores.
DISCUSSION: This study showed that the course improved knowledge for an instructor core and staff from district and provincial hospitals, confirming the effectiveness of a train-the-trainers model, which will allow for sustainability in pre-hospital emergency medical training in Rwanda. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:11:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8991bf93f2474008a676fab38caeb97a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2410-8626 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:11:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC)/Rwanda Health Communication Center |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Rwanda Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-8991bf93f2474008a676fab38caeb97a2023-10-16T14:03:11ZengRwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC)/Rwanda Health Communication CenterRwanda Medical Journal2410-86262023-09-018033441https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/rmj.v80i3.5Managing medical emergencies: Sustainable pre-hospital medical education in RwandaA. Shustak0J. M. Uwitonze1I. Kabagema2M. Wojick3 B. Asay4A. Louka5L. Wolfe6T. Dushime7 S. Jayaraman8Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USAService d’Aide Medicale Urgente, Rwanda Ministry of Health, Kigali, RwandaService d’Aide Medicale Urgente, Rwanda Ministry of Health, Kigali, RwandaDepartment of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USAHCA Healthcare South Atlantic Division, USAVirginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USAVirginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USAService d’Aide Medicale Urgente, Rwanda Ministry of Health, Kigali, RwandaDepartment of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USAINTRODUCTION: In Rwanda, non-communicable diseases accounted for 44% of all reported deaths as of 2016. Yet, there is very limited data on pre-hospital management of emergency medical conditions in LMICs. We evaluated the impact of a pre-hospital medical emergencies training course and train-the-trainers program for Service d’Aide Medicale Urgente (SAMU) to address the burden of NCDs. METHODS: A 100-question baseline assessment was administered to 25 SAMU staff to assess knowledge of basic anatomy, physiology, medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics, trauma, and scene safety. A two-day Emergency Medical Care Course (EMCC) was developed. Two cohorts (one for instructors and another one for staff) from ten district and provincial hospitals. EMCC 1 and a one- day educator course were conducted for the instructor core. They then taught the second cohort of trainees (EMCC 2). RESULTS: In the baseline assessment of 25 SAMU staff, the median score was 56% overall and 54% in medical. EMCC 1 median scores were 43% vs 86% (pre vs post), p<0.001 using matched pair analysis of 18 participants. EMCC 2 median scores were 45% vs 82% (pre vs post), p<0.001 using matched pair analysis of 16 participants. A one-way ANOVA mean square analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the two cohorts post-training, with similar post- assessment scores. DISCUSSION: This study showed that the course improved knowledge for an instructor core and staff from district and provincial hospitals, confirming the effectiveness of a train-the-trainers model, which will allow for sustainability in pre-hospital emergency medical training in Rwanda.pre-hospitalnon-communicable diseaseeducationmedical educationrwanda |
| spellingShingle | A. Shustak J. M. Uwitonze I. Kabagema M. Wojick B. Asay A. Louka L. Wolfe T. Dushime S. Jayaraman Managing medical emergencies: Sustainable pre-hospital medical education in Rwanda Rwanda Medical Journal pre-hospital non-communicable disease education medical education rwanda |
| title | Managing medical emergencies: Sustainable pre-hospital medical education in Rwanda |
| title_full | Managing medical emergencies: Sustainable pre-hospital medical education in Rwanda |
| title_fullStr | Managing medical emergencies: Sustainable pre-hospital medical education in Rwanda |
| title_full_unstemmed | Managing medical emergencies: Sustainable pre-hospital medical education in Rwanda |
| title_short | Managing medical emergencies: Sustainable pre-hospital medical education in Rwanda |
| title_sort | managing medical emergencies sustainable pre hospital medical education in rwanda |
| topic | pre-hospital non-communicable disease education medical education rwanda |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ashustak managingmedicalemergenciessustainableprehospitalmedicaleducationinrwanda AT jmuwitonze managingmedicalemergenciessustainableprehospitalmedicaleducationinrwanda AT ikabagema managingmedicalemergenciessustainableprehospitalmedicaleducationinrwanda AT mwojick managingmedicalemergenciessustainableprehospitalmedicaleducationinrwanda AT basay managingmedicalemergenciessustainableprehospitalmedicaleducationinrwanda AT alouka managingmedicalemergenciessustainableprehospitalmedicaleducationinrwanda AT lwolfe managingmedicalemergenciessustainableprehospitalmedicaleducationinrwanda AT tdushime managingmedicalemergenciessustainableprehospitalmedicaleducationinrwanda AT sjayaraman managingmedicalemergenciessustainableprehospitalmedicaleducationinrwanda |