OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the knowledge of emergency resuscitation procedures of general practitioners in Bouches-du-Rhône, the Gard, Hérault and Vaucluse. METHODS: We sent 7239 self-assessment mail questionnaires to general practitioners. The responses were analyzed to determine the factors associated with lack of mastery of emergency resuscitation procedures; physicians who reported they could not perform these procedures were compared with the others. RESULTS: In all, 1561 responses were analyzed (response rate=22%); 52% reported they had to perform emergency resuscitation procedures at least once a year, but 30% stated they had not mastered them. After multivariate analysis with logistic regression, the factors associated with lack of mastery of these procedures (or with mastery, for the variables with odds ratios <1) were age (reference 25-35 years, 36-45 years: odds ratio [OR]=1.94, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) [1.11-3.40]; 46-55 years, OR=2.93 [1.70-5.05]; age>55 years, OR=3.71 [2.07-6.62]), women (OR=1.39 [1.05-1.82]), clerkship or course in resuscitation and emergency medicine (second cycle clerkships, OR=0.75 [0.57-0.97]; third cycle internship, OR=0.30 [0.22-0.42]; course at another time, OR=0.43 [0.28-0.66]), performance of emergency resuscitation procedures in daily practice (reference: no procedure performed; at least one a year: OR=0.37 [0.29-0.49]; at least one every three months, OR=0.15 [0.08-0.25]), failure to use health records (reference: does not use records; users OR=0.70 [0.54-0.90]). CONCLUSION: More consistent continuing medical education up seems necessary to meet the need for continuity of care, especially in the greatest emergencies.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the knowledge of emergency resuscitation procedures of general practitioners in Bouches-du-Rhône, the Gard, Hérault and Vaucluse. METHODS: We sent 7239 self-assessment mail questionnaires to general practitioners. The responses were analyzed to determine the factors associated with lack of mastery of emergency resuscitation procedures; physicians who reported they could not perform these procedures were compared with the others. RESULTS: In all, 1561 responses were analyzed (response rate=22%); 52% reported they had to perform emergency resuscitation procedures at least once a year, but 30% stated they had not mastered them. After multivariate analysis with logistic regression, the factors associated with lack of mastery of these procedures (or with mastery, for the variables with odds ratios <1) were age (reference 25-35 years, 36-45 years: odds ratio [OR]=1.94, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) [1.11-3.40]; 46-55 years, OR=2.93 [1.70-5.05]; age>55 years, OR=3.71 [2.07-6.62]), women (OR=1.39 [1.05-1.82]), clerkship or course in resuscitation and emergency medicine (second cycle clerkships, OR=0.75 [0.57-0.97]; third cycle internship, OR=0.30 [0.22-0.42]; course at another time, OR=0.43 [0.28-0.66]), performance of emergency resuscitation procedures in daily practice (reference: no procedure performed; at least one a year: OR=0.37 [0.29-0.49]; at least one every three months, OR=0.15 [0.08-0.25]), failure to use health records (reference: does not use records; users OR=0.70 [0.54-0.90]). CONCLUSION: More consistent continuing medical education up seems necessary to meet the need for continuity of care, especially in the greatest emergencies.
Authors: Sabina Hunziker; Franziska Tschan; Norbert K Semmer; Roger Zobrist; Martin Spychiger; Marc Breuer; Patrick R Hunziker; Stephan C Marsch Journal: BMC Emerg Med Date: 2009-02-14