On Shaky Ground: Learner Response and Confidence After Tabletop Earthquake Simulation.

Area of Science:

• Disaster medicine
• Medical education
• Pediatric emergency response

Background:

• Managing pediatric victims during mass casualty events like earthquakes presents unique challenges.
• Effective disaster medical response training is crucial for pediatric residents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess pediatric residents' confidence and attitudes towards managing earthquake victims.
• To evaluate the impact of a tabletop simulation and debriefing on resident preparedness.

Main Methods:

• Pediatric residents participated in a tabletop simulation involving simulated pediatric earthquake casualties.
• Surveys measured self-rated confidence and willingness to respond before, immediately after, and 6 months post-simulation.
• A 5-point Likert scale assessed proficiency from novice to expert.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase in residents' competence in identifying and managing earthquake victims was observed (3% to 33%, P < 0.05).
• Confidence in treating traumatic head injury and willingness to deploy for disasters showed non-significant improvement.
• Seventy-five residents completed the 6-month postsurvey, indicating sustained engagement.

Conclusions:

• Tabletop simulations effectively enhance resident comfort levels in managing rare, high-stakes events like pediatric earthquake casualties.
• This training modality is easily integrated into residency curricula, offering an effective disaster medical response preparation strategy.
• Simulation-based training can improve pediatric residents' readiness for real-world disaster scenarios.