Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA.
Prehosp Emerg Care. 2011 Oct-Dec;15(4):526-32. doi: 10.3109/10903127.2011.569852. Epub 2011 May 18.
To determine paramedics' understanding of and accuracy using SALT (sort-assess-lifesaving interventions-treatment/transport) triage, a proposed national guideline for primary triage during mass-casualty incidents, immediately and four months after training.
A 20-minute lecture on SALT triage was provided to all paramedics (n = 320) from a single county during mandatory continuing education. Triage concepts were reemphasized during a 10-minute small-group lecture throughout the study period as part of standard refresher training. After the initial training, all paramedics were asked to complete a posttest consisting of three general knowledge questions about SALT triage and 10 patient scenarios in which they had to assign a triage category. The same test was administered four months after the original educational session. Demographic and job experience information was also obtained. Responses were scored and matched for each paramedic and compared using paired t-test.
A total of 290 (91%) paramedics completed the initial posttest. They correctly answered an average (± standard deviation) of 10.7 ± 2.3 of the 13 questions (82%). For the 10 patient scenarios, they correctly triaged an average of 8.1 ± 2.0 patients. A total of 159 paramedics completed both tests. Sixty-seven percent had more than 10 years of emergency medical services (EMS) experience; 72% had prior mass-casualty drill experience; 51% had prior actual mass-casualty experience; and 23% had heard of SALT triage prior to the training. There were no statistically significant differences in initial test scores for any of these demographic groups. For those subjects who completed both tests, the mean overall score for the initial test was 10.9 ± 1.9 (84%) and for the later test was 11.0 ± 1.9 (85%) (p < 0.770; 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.3 to 0.3). For the 10 patient scenarios, the paramedics correctly triaged an average of 8.3 ± 1.7 patients on the initial test and 8.3 ± 1.4 patients on the later test (p < 0.565; 95% CI -0.4 to 0.2).
Following a short didactic course, paramedics were able to accurately perform SALT triage during a written scenario. Four months after the training, they had retained their understanding of and accuracy using SALT triage. It appears that a brief educational tool was effective for training EMS providers in SALT triage.
在单次县的强制性继续教育中，向所有护理人员（n=320）提供 20 分钟的 SALT 分诊讲座，以确定护理人员对 SALT 分诊的理解程度和使用准确性，以及在培训后立即和四个月后的使用情况。
在整个研究期间，作为标准复习培训的一部分，在 10 分钟的小组讲座中重新强调分诊概念。初始培训后，所有护理人员都被要求完成一个包括三个关于 SALT 分诊的一般知识问题和 10 个他们必须分配分诊类别的患者情景的后测。四个月后进行了相同的测试。还获得了人口统计学和工作经验信息。对每个护理人员的回答进行评分并进行匹配，然后使用配对 t 检验进行比较。
共有 290 名（91%）护理人员完成了初始后测。他们平均答对了 13 个问题中的 10.7±2.3 个（82%）。对于 10 个患者情景，他们平均正确分诊了 8.1±2.0 名患者。共有 159 名护理人员完成了两次测试。67%的人有超过 10 年的急救医疗服务（EMS）经验；72%的人有之前的大规模伤亡演习经验；51%的人有之前的实际大规模伤亡经验；23%的人在培训前听说过 SALT 分诊。在这些人口统计学群体中，初始测试成绩没有统计学上的显著差异。对于那些完成了两次测试的人，初始测试的总平均分是 10.9±1.9（84%），而后期测试的总平均分是 11.0±1.9（85%）（p<0.770；95%置信区间[CI] -0.3 至 0.3）。对于 10 个患者情景，护理人员在初始测试中平均正确分诊了 8.3±1.7 名患者，在后期测试中平均正确分诊了 8.3±1.4 名患者（p<0.565；95%CI -0.4 至 0.2）。
在进行了简短的理论课程后，护理人员能够在书面情景中准确地进行 SALT 分诊。培训四个月后，他们仍然理解并能够准确使用 SALT 分诊。这表明，一个简短的教育工具对于培训急救医疗服务提供者进行 SALT 分诊是有效的。
