Analysing and exploring the prehospital care competency of emergency and trauma department personnel at Sultan Ahmad Shah Medical Centre: a survey study

• Main Authors: Md Salleh, Syuibatul Islamiah Mahirah, Jamaludin, Thandar Soe @ Sumaiyah, Nurumal, Mohd. Said, Abd Talib, Muhammad Lutfi, Che Hasan, Muhammad Kamil
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: RT86.4 Nurse and physician or other health professionals
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/105719/1/105719_Analysing%20and%20exploring%20the%20prehospital%20care%20competency.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/105719/
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

Background: Pre-hospital care in Malaysia which mostly consisted of Assistant Medical Officers (AMOs) and nurses played a big role on minimizing the consequences of the injuries by conducting a good assessment and executing the correct clinical treatment on scene before reaching hospital for the definitive care. However, there are no standardized training and competency available for pre-hospital personnel. Nursing curriculum focuses primarily on in-hospital treatment, such nurses may have insufficient knowledge and abilities in prehospital care since only a few areas of prehospital emergency care are included during undergraduate nurse training. Objective: Thisstudy aimed to identify the baseline of knowledge and skills of AMOs and nurses on prehospital care. Method: This study used a cross-sectional survey design with convenience sampling method by application of a self-administered questionnaire which is adapted from Essential Knowledge and Skills Questionnaire. The questionnaire includes: sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, and skills of pre-hospital care. The data were collected at Emergency and Trauma Department, SASMEC, Kuantan. Result: A total of 73 participants participated in this survey. The perceived level of knowledge and skills of prehospital care personnel in SASMEC Kuantan are still not completely performed as a whole, based on all the elements required in the self-evaluation questionnaire are not fully recognized and mastered and the p-value for both knowledge and skills p<0.05. However, there is a positive correlation between the knowledge and skills of the personnel, r=0.2; n=349; p=0.000 by which it shows that higher the knowledge on prehospital care, the higher the skills towards it. Implications/Conclusion: A specific initiative should be taken to enhance the prehospital service by producing a proper standardized competency just so that the service could be utilized by the surrounding. Interventions such as simulations or short programs could be done as a refreshment course to review and update the latest learning of theory and skills.