Improving Pediatric Education for Emergency Medical Services Providers: A Qualitative Study.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-1-2017
Identifier
DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X16001230
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have illustrated pediatric knowledge deficits among Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers. The purpose of this study was to identify perspectives of a diverse group of EMS providers regarding pediatric prehospital care educational deficits and proposed methods of training improvements.
METHODS: Purposive sampling was used to recruit EMS providers in diverse settings for study participation. Two separate focus groups of EMS providers (administrative and non-administrative personnel) were held in three locations (urban, suburban, and rural). A professional moderator facilitated focus group discussion using a guide developed by the study team. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze data.
RESULTS: Forty-two participants provided data. Four major themes were identified: (1) suboptimal previous pediatric training and training gaps in continuing pediatric education; (2) opportunities for improved interactions with emergency department (ED) staff, including case-based feedback on patient care; (3) barriers to optimal pediatric prehospital care; and (4) proposed pediatric training improvements.
CONCLUSION: Focus groups identified four themes surrounding preparation of EMS personnel for providing care to pediatric patients. These themes can guide future educational interventions for EMS to improve pediatric prehospital care. Brown SA , Hayden TC , Randell KA , Rappaport L , Stevenson MD , Kim IK . Improving pediatric education for Emergency Medical Services providers: a qualitative study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(1):20-26.
Journal Title
Prehosp Disaster Med
Volume
32
Issue
1
First Page
20
Last Page
26
MeSH Keywords
Adult; Child; Child Health Services; Emergency Medical Services; Emergency Medical Technicians; Female; Focus Groups; Humans; Inservice Training; Kentucky; Male; Middle Aged; Quality Improvement; Young Adult
Keywords
ED emergency department; EMS Emergency Medical Services; EMT emergency medical technicians; HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; continuing education; emergency responders; focus groups
Recommended Citation
Brown SA, Hayden TC, Randell KA, Rappaport L, Stevenson MD, Kim IK. Improving Pediatric Education for Emergency Medical Services Providers: A Qualitative Study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(1):20-26. doi:10.1017/S1049023X16001230
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