Implementation of a contextually appropriate pediatric emergency surgical care course in Uganda.
Africa
Global surgery
LMIC
Pediatric surgery
Training course
Uganda
Journal
Journal of pediatric surgery
ISSN: 1531-5037
Titre abrégé: J Pediatr Surg
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 0052631
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Apr 2021
Apr 2021
Historique:
received:
06
05
2020
revised:
30
09
2020
accepted:
01
10
2020
pubmed:
14
11
2020
medline:
25
6
2021
entrez:
13
11
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Low- and middle-income countries like Uganda face a severe shortage of pediatric surgeons. Most children with a surgical emergency are treated by nonspecialist rural providers. We describe the design and implementation of a locally driven, pilot pediatric emergency surgical care course to strengthen skills of these providers. This is the first description of such a course in the current literature. The course was delivered three times from 2018 to 2019. Modules include perioperative management, neonatal emergencies, intestinal emergencies, and trauma. A baseline needs assessment survey was administered. Participants in the second and third courses also took pre and postcourse knowledge-based tests. Forty-five providers representing multiple cadres participated. Participants most commonly perform hernia/hydrocele repair (17% adjusted rating) in their current practice and are least comfortable managing cleft lip and palate (mean Likert score 1.4 ± 0.9). Equipment shortage was identified as the most significant challenge to delivering pediatric surgical care (24%). Scores on the knowledge tests improved significantly from pre- (55.4% ± 22.4%) to postcourse (71.9% ± 14.0%, p < 0.0001). Nonspecialist clinicians are essential to the pediatric surgical workforce in LMICs. Short, targeted training courses can increase provider knowledge about the management of surgical emergencies. The course has spurred local surgical outreach initiatives. Further implementation studies are needed to evaluate the impact of the training. V.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Low- and middle-income countries like Uganda face a severe shortage of pediatric surgeons. Most children with a surgical emergency are treated by nonspecialist rural providers. We describe the design and implementation of a locally driven, pilot pediatric emergency surgical care course to strengthen skills of these providers. This is the first description of such a course in the current literature.
METHODS
METHODS
The course was delivered three times from 2018 to 2019. Modules include perioperative management, neonatal emergencies, intestinal emergencies, and trauma. A baseline needs assessment survey was administered. Participants in the second and third courses also took pre and postcourse knowledge-based tests.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Forty-five providers representing multiple cadres participated. Participants most commonly perform hernia/hydrocele repair (17% adjusted rating) in their current practice and are least comfortable managing cleft lip and palate (mean Likert score 1.4 ± 0.9). Equipment shortage was identified as the most significant challenge to delivering pediatric surgical care (24%). Scores on the knowledge tests improved significantly from pre- (55.4% ± 22.4%) to postcourse (71.9% ± 14.0%, p < 0.0001).
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Nonspecialist clinicians are essential to the pediatric surgical workforce in LMICs. Short, targeted training courses can increase provider knowledge about the management of surgical emergencies. The course has spurred local surgical outreach initiatives. Further implementation studies are needed to evaluate the impact of the training.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
METHODS
V.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33183745
pii: S0022-3468(20)30747-8
doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2020.10.004
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
811-815Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.