An Educational Outreach Program: A Trauma System's 5-Year Experience

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Medical Education
• Healthcare Systems

Background:

• The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma mandates educational outreach from Level I and II trauma centers to lower-level facilities.
• Despite being a required component of trauma systems, published data on the resources needed for effective outreach programs is scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a detailed roadmap of the necessary components for establishing and sustaining a successful trauma outreach program.
• To guide the development and implementation of trauma outreach initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of an educational outreach program from January 2016 to December 2020.
• Expansion from 27 facilities in one state to 49 facilities across 14 states.
• Measurement of program components including trauma course offerings (TNCC, ATLS, RTTDC), attendance rates, trauma meetings, webinars, designations, reviews, states reached, and collaborations.

Main Results:

• The program more than doubled Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) and Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) courses offered.
• Attendance rates increased by 33% for TNCC and 11% for ATLS.
• Virtual platform technology facilitated participation in 44 trauma meetings and webinars, expanding outreach to 14 states and influencing practice changes.

Conclusions:

• Trauma outreach programs require administrative support, strong leadership, and technological integration to function effectively.
• These programs are crucial resources for enhancing statewide trauma care systems.