Pre-hospital advanced life support resuscitation training: A pilot of an evidence-based curriculum

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Australasian Journal of Paramedicine

Publisher

Australasian Journal of Paramedicine

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences

RAS ID

32436

Comments

Reid, D., Sim, M., Beatty, S., Grantham, H., & Gale, M. (2020). Pre-hospital advanced life support resuscitation training: A pilot of an evidence-based curriculum. Australasian Journal of Paramedicine, 17, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.33151/ajp.17.846

Abstract

Introduction There is a broad evidence base to support advanced life support (ALS) education for healthcare professionals being structured, realistic and inclusive of a range of human factors. This paper outlines the results of a pilot ALS resuscitation course tailored for providers working in pre-hospital resource-limited settings. The focus on the pre-hospital ALS environment, team mix, techniques, skills and equipment are important because actions taken by pre-hospital healthcare professionals have a critical impact on the likelihood of patient survival. Methods A pre-hospital ALS course was piloted following research into the need for a course and development of a pre-hospital-specific curriculum, based on Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines. There were 13 pilot courses run, involving 66 participants. Participants all worked in the pre-hospital environment and held qualifications ranging from a Certificate IV in Healthcare through to postgraduate paramedicine qualifications. The pre-hospital ALS course consisted of theory and practical elements, pre-reading and a pre- and post-course quiz. Feedback was sought from course participants and an expert panel was consulted on the findings. Results Participants and the Expert Panel indicated that a pre-hospital ALS course should follow current recommendations of the ARC and be delivered to persons with sufficient underpinning knowledge of ALS resuscitation. The course should include pre-reading on ALS protocols and a pre-test followed by one day of face-to-face teaching using equipment reflective of the pre-hospital environment. Scenarios should be relevant to the pre-hospital setting and involve varying numbers of responders. Participants should be assessed on a continual basis during the course. Conclusion To improve participant confidence in the delivery of ALS and maximise the likelihood of patient survival, pre-hospital ALS resuscitation education for pre-hospital providers should follow ARC guidelines, include pre-course reading and practical simulation that reflects participants’ day-to-day employment.

DOI

10.33151/ajp.17.846

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