Assessing the Impact of the Trauma Team Training Program in Tanzania
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Date
2008
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
Abstract
Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, injury is responsible for more deaths and disability adjusted life years than AIDS and malaria combined. The trauma team training (TTT) program is a low-cost course designed to teach a multidisciplinary team approach to trauma evaluation and resuscitation. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of TTT on trauma knowledge and performance of Tanzanian physicians and nurses; and to demonstrate the validity of a questionnaire assessing trauma knowledge.
Methods: This is a prospective study of physicians and nurses from Dar es Salaam undergoing
TTT (n = 20). Subjects received a pre course test and, after the course, an alternate post course test. The equivalence and construct validity of these 15-item multiple-choice questionnaires was previously demonstrated. After the course, subjects were divided into four teams and underwent
a multiple injuries simulation, which was scored with a trauma resuscitation simulation assessment checklist. A satisfaction questionnaire was then administered. Test data are expressed
as median score (inter quartile ratio) and were analyzed with the Wilcoxon's signed rank test.
Results: After the TTT course, subjects improved their scores from 9 (5-12) to 13 (9-13), p =
0.0004. Team performance scores for the simulation were all >80%. Seventy-five percent of subjects were very satisfied with TTT and 90% would strongly recommend it to others and would agree to teach future courses.
Conclusions: After completion of TTT, there was a significant improvement in trauma resuscitation knowledge, based on results from a validated questionnaire. Trauma team performance was excellent when assessed with a novel trauma simulation assessment tool. Participants were very supportive of the course.
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Keywords
Trauma Team Training Program, Tanzania
Citation
Bergman, S., Deckelbaum, D., Lett, R., Haas, B., Demyttenaere, S., Munthali, V., Mbembati, N., Museru, L. and Razek, T., 2008. Assessing the impact of the trauma team training program in Tanzania. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 65(4), pp.879-883.