Abstract:
Background:
Emergency Medicine (EM) is a new specialty in Tanzania. Little is known about how to
introduce EM to healthcare providers (HCPs) in hospitals without EM.
Aim:
To determine the impact of a 2-day EM training on the understanding, perception and
career decision-making towards EM amongst HCPs at four tertiary level hospitals in
Tanzania that do not have EM.
Methodology:
This was an interventional study including HCPs from four tertiary hospitals in Tanzania
that do not have EM. Understanding, perceptions, and decision making regarding EM as a
career was assessed before and after a 2-day basic EM training using a paper questionnaire.
Quantitative data was obtained using Likert scale (out of 5) and was analyzed by T-tests,
Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal Wallis test. Qualitative data was analyzed for content and
themes by an inductive, iterative approach.
Results:
96 HCPs participated in the study; the four hospitals were equally represented. Median pretraining
scores for all Likert questions was 3.49 (IQR3.26-3.91); understanding 3.33
(IQR3.00-3.66), perception 3.40 (IQR3.14-3.71), and career decision making 3.66
(IQR3.33-4.00). Post-training scores showed improvement with median scores of 4.61
(IQR4.45-4.72) overall, 4.66 (IQR4.00-4.66) for understanding, 4.63 (IQR4.50-4.87) for
perception and 4.66 (IQR4.33-4.83) for career decision making (all p<0.01). Themes
addressed by participants included whether EM physicians were needed, whether they had
sufficient career possibilities, and whether or not doctors should be encouraged to pursue
EM as a career.
Conclusion & Recommendation
A 2-day EM training had a positive impact on understanding, perception and career
decision-making towards EM amongst Tanzania HCPs that work in hospitals without EM.
Long-term follow up to ascertain retention is recommended.
