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PASS-A course in Pediatric Acute Surgical Support to build pediatric surgical emergencies capacity in developing
Thanh Dinh1, Toufic Khairallah2, Chau Nguyen1
1Children's Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
Insights
The Pediatric Acute Surgical Support (PASS) course effectively trained healthcare providers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to manage pediatric surgical emergencies. This initiative demonstrated improved knowledge and team-based skills, showing potential for global capacity building.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Pediatric Surgery
- Medical Education
Background:
- Pediatric trauma and emergency care, including surgical emergencies, pose a significant challenge in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
- Effective management of life-threatening pediatric surgical emergencies requires specialized training for healthcare providers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility and impact of the Pediatric Acute Surgical Support (PASS) course in preparing healthcare providers in LMICs for acute pediatric surgical emergencies.
- To evaluate the short-term effectiveness of the PASS course in improving knowledge and team-based management skills.
Main Methods:
- The PASS course, developed with LMIC faculty, incorporated didactic materials, multidisciplinary team-based skill stations, and simulated trauma cases.
- The course was delivered to 92 learners in two children's hospitals between 2017 and 2019.
- Data on learner demographics, pre- and post-course exams, team performance, and satisfaction surveys were collected and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Learners showed significant improvement in written exam scores (55.4% to 71.6%) and team-based trauma scenario management (22.6% to 54.7%) (p<0.0001).
- Team-based dynamic scores also improved significantly (17% to 53.3%) (p<0.0001).
- Over 95% of learners reported high satisfaction with the course content, delivery, and instructors.
Conclusions:
- The PASS course is well-received by healthcare providers in LMICs.
- The course leads to short-term improvements in knowledge and team-based management of acute pediatric surgical emergencies.
- PASS has the potential to serve as a model for horizontal capacity building in pediatric surgery within LMICs.
Objectives:
The burden of pediatric trauma and emergency, including pediatric surgical emergencies in low middle income countries (LMIC) is high. The goal of Pediatric Acute Surgical Support (PASS) course is to prepare caregivers in LMIC for the acute management of life-threatening pediatric surgical emergencies. We aim to show the feasibility of its initial deployment.
Methods:
PASS was developed in 2016 with LMIC faculty from a teaching children hospital CH. The course contents consisted of a mix of didactic materials for serious general neonatal and pediatric surgery modified PALS/ATLS, in-person multidisciplinary team-based skill stations, interactive clinical scenarios and simulated trauma cases. The course was subsequently revised and delivered to 92 learners in four classes of 2.5-days sessions at two CHs between 2017 and 2019. Learners' demographics, written exams, team-based case performance, and post-course survey data were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed.
Results:
Physician (60%) and nurse learners (40%) from pediatric critical care (36%), surgery (23%), emergency medicine (20%) and anesthesiology (9%) had 3.6 +/- 3.6 years of clinical practice; pre- and post-course written exam score of 55.4+/-15.5% vs 71.6+/-12.8%, team-based trauma scenario management 22.6 ± 7.8% vs 54.7 ± 16.6% and team-based dynamic scores 17+/- 10% vs 53.3+/- 15.5%, respectively (p<0.0001). Self-reported satisfaction scores were ≥ 95% for course method, level of difficulty, clinical applicability, and quality of instructors.
Conclusion:
PASS is well-received by LMIC learners, with short-term improvement in knowledge-, team-based management of acute pediatric surgery emergencies; and has the potential to be a model of horizontal capacity building for pediatric surgery in LMIC.
Level Of Evidence:
II.
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