Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 May 20;88(1):35.
doi: 10.5334/aogh.3602. eCollection 2022.

Comparative Effectiveness of an In-Person and a Virtual Basic Emergency Care Instructor Course

Sean M Kivlehan  1 , Megan M Rybarczyk  2 , Alicia E Genisca  3 , Derek Lubetkin  4 , Ramu Kharel  4 , J Austin Lee  4 , Nichole Michaeli  4 , Emilie J Calvello Hynes  5 , Julia Dixon  5 , Noel Leifer  5 , Naz Karim  4
Affiliations

Comparative Effectiveness of an In-Person and a Virtual Basic Emergency Care Instructor Course

Sean M Kivlehan et al. Ann Glob Health. .

Abstract

Background: Resource limited settings have an ongoing need for access to quality emergency care. The World Health Organization - International Committee of the Red Cross Basic Emergency Care (BEC) course is one mechanism to address this need. Training of BEC trainers has been challenging due to barriers including cost, travel logistics, scheduling, and more recently, social distancing regulations related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Objective: We seek to determine if an online virtual format is an effective way to train additional trainers while overcoming these barriers.

Methods: The BEC Training-of-Trainers (ToT) course was adapted to a virtual format and delivered entirely online. Participants were assessed with a multiple choice pre- and post-test and completed a course feedback form upon completion. Results from the virtual course were then compared to the results from an in-person ToT course.

Findings: The in-person course pre- and post-tests were completed by 121 participants with a pre-test mean of 87% (range 60-100%) and a post-test mean of 95% (range: 75-100; p < 0.05). Virtual course pre- and post-tests by 27 participants were analyzed with a pre-test mean of 89% (range 75-100%) and a post-test mean of 96% (range: 79-100; p < 0.05). No difference in test improvements between the courses was detected (z = -0.485; p = 0.627). The course feedback was completed by 93 in-person participants and 28 virtual participants. Feedback survey responses were similar for all questions except for course length, with in-person participant responses trending towards the course being too long.

Conclusions: A virtual format BEC ToT course is effective, feasible, and acceptable. When compared to an in-person course, no difference was detected in nearly all metrics for the virtual format. Utilizing this format for future courses can assist in scaling both the BEC ToT and, by extension, the BEC course globally, particularly in regions facing barriers to in-person training.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Figures

In-person ToT curriculum as compared to the virtual ToT curriculum
Figure 1
In-person ToT curriculum as compared to the virtual ToT curriculum.
Facilitator List and competencies for both the in-person and the virtual BEC ToT course
Figure 2
Facilitator List and competencies for both the in-person and the virtual BEC ToT course.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Razzak J, Usmani MF, Bhutta ZA. Global, regional and national burden of emergency medical diseases using specific emergency disease indicators: analysis of the 2015 Global Burden of Disease Study. BMJ Glob Health. 2019. Mar 30; 4(2): e000733. DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2018-000733 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Reynolds TA, Sawe H, Rubiano AM, et al. Strengthening Health Systems to Provide Emergency Care. In: Jamison DT, Gelband H, Horton S, Jha P, Laxminarayan R, Mock CN, Nugent R (eds.), Disease Control Priorities: Improving Health and Reducing Poverty. 3rd edition. Washington (DC): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank; 2017. Nov. Chapter 13.
    1. World Health Organization. Resolution WHA 72.16: Emergency care systems for universal health coverage: ensuring timely care for the acutely ill and injured. Geneva, World Health Assembly 72, 2019.
    1. Basic emergency care: approach to the acutely ill and injured. Geneva: World Health Organization and the International Committee of the Red Cross; 2018. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
    1. Tenner AG, Sawe HR, Amato S, et al. Results from a World Health Organization pilot of the Basic Emergency Care Course in Sub Saharan Africa. PLoS One. 2019. Nov 13; 14(11): e0224257. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224257 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types