Assessment of the effect of Advanced Paediatric Life Support training on level of self-perceived preparedness among health-care workers in Cambodia.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to survey the self-perceived preparedness of Cambodia's Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) providers towards their APLS training and accreditation 5 years post-implementation.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was administered in December 2009 to APLS providers who had been trained throughout the 5 year period from December 2005 to May 2009.

RESULTS

One hundred and two (93%) APLS providers responded. The median rating for their original APLS learning experience was 6 out of 10, and the reported median recall of the APLS teaching content was 7 out of 10. Since their training, 80% had managed a child in cardiac arrest, 85% a child with serious illness and 72% with serious injury. Their subjective preparedness from APLS training for each of the three resuscitation types, on a scale of 1-10, were medians of 7, 7 and 6, respectively. For all groups, perceived preparedness for all three resuscitation types did not differ despite varying lengths of time from their original training.

CONCLUSION

APLS training has increased the self-perceived preparedness of paediatric health-care workers in Cambodia. RESULTS indicate moderate relevance to real patient resuscitations experienced by health workers, and the perceived recall of the teachings and sense of preparation from APLS training does not significantly decline over time. However, our results suggest subsequent further APLS instructor courses might maintain resuscitation preparedness.