[Assessment of physicians employed in emergency medical services about their level of knowledge on basic life support, advanced cardiac life support and medicolegal responsibilities].

BACKGROUND

We aimed to determine the level of knowledge of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) physicians on Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and medicolegal responsibilities in conjunction with related factors.

METHODS

Fifty-three physicians (43 male, 10 females; mean age 39 years; range 28 to 50 years) employed in EMS were required to respond a questionnaire consisting of demographic data and educational background. They also answered 25 multiple-choice questions about BLS, ACLS and medicolegal responsibilities of physicians in a face-to-face manner. The data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis Analysis of Variance test.

RESULTS

Mean level of knowledge was 45.4 on a hundred-point scale. Attendance to courses covering emergency aid and working as an ambulance physician for more than one year were associated with higher levels of knowledge (p=0.012; p=0.015).

CONCLUSION

In-service training should be undertaken to raise the level of knowledge of the physicians employed in rural EMS and to improve the quality of field care.