[Training intervention studies with mini-tests to improve emergency medical care in a health center]

Test effectiveness and acceptability of interventions short essay-type training in health emergency management (EM).

Combined case series and controlled study before and after training sessions.

Health Center (HC).

Team on duty, two monitors-facilitators, and a mannequin.

response times, staff performance, resource usage and opinion. Structure: scenarios and key messages. Instrument development: 1. Initial/final questionnaire and events. 2. Essential/non-essential times; 3. Post-test opinion questionnaire. Performance of six consecutive 15 min tests fortnightly (including corrections) and poll after each test. A month later, repeat in random order and under similar conditions.

repeated measures.

A total of 93 (2/3) workers completed the initial survey, and 74 the final, with 46 participants (25 doctors, 7 nurses, 21 non-health completed 95 direct interventions. Matching participants > 80% between series. A reduction was seen in the "detection of collapse to first defibrillation" interval (10 to 4 min). EM events improved 2-3 fold and "sense of security during a real EM" increased from 23% to 71% among participants. The vast majority of participants said "useful corrections made by the facilitator." The proportions of those who "would like to see tests introduced" and those who said "re-training was needed in EM" were moderately increased (67.4% vs 85% in health care workers). The "would like to attempt basic life support" was unchanged.

Despite being reduced in number and duration, this model of intervention has shown positive trends in terms of use and acceptability for implementation in the HC.