Advanced Trauma Life Support instructor training in the UK: an evaluation

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Trauma Care Training

Background:

• The Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) program is crucial for standardized trauma care.
• Effective instructor training is essential for maintaining ATLS standards.
• Evaluating instructor courses ensures program quality and identifies areas for enhancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the UK-based ATLS instructor course.
• To assess the impact of the course on instructor confidence and skills.
• To identify specific areas of strength and weakness in the ATLS instructor training.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire-based evaluation was conducted among UK ATLS trainee instructors.
• Respondents were primarily consultant-grade physicians and senior registrars.
• Data collected focused on perceived course effectiveness and confidence levels.

Main Results:

• The ATLS instructor course was highly effective in meeting most objectives.
• Significant increases in confidence were reported, especially for instructors new to teaching methods.
• Practical skills training was a particularly effective component.
• Small group teaching and questioning techniques were identified as less effective areas.

Conclusions:

• The ATLS instructor course is largely successful in enhancing instructor capabilities.
• Targeted improvements in small group teaching and questioning methods could further optimize the training.
• The course plays a vital role in building confidence for medical instructors in trauma care.