Background: Injury is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity resulting in avoidable death and disability worldwide. Ninety percent of all deaths emanate from developing countries. Many fatal injuries may be prevented or their severity reduced by adequate pre hospital trauma care. Most deaths in the first hours after injury are the result of airway obstruction, respiratory failure or uncontrolled hemorrhage. All of these conditions can be treated and lives saved by basic life support measures done by professionally trained ambulance crews.
Objectives: To assess knowledge, Attitude and Practice of basic life support (BLS) in road traffic accidents among central ambulance crews of Khartoum State
Materials and Methods: Descriptive study conducted using pre-coded structured interviewer-administered questionnaire directed to the 64 available members of the ambulance crews of Khartoum State during the period of study.
Results: By geographical location, 27 (42.2%) of the 64available ambulance crew members were in Khartoum North and East Nile, 20 (31.1%) were in Omdurman and 17 (26.6%) were in Khartoum. All crew members were male with 86.6% falling within age group 20-49 years. By qualification, 12 (18.8%) were physicians who held the MBBS, 17 (26.6%) Medical Assistant, 4 (6.3%) Bachelor of Nursing, 23 (35.9%) Nursing Diploma, 17 (26.6%) Nurse Certificate and 1 (1.6%) other qualifications. Fifty (78.1%) crew members had experience between 1-6 years and only 14 (21.9%) had more than 6 years' experience. Forty nine (76.6%) had received First Aid training course and 28 (43.8%) advanced trauma life support (ATLS) course. By knowledge of BLS guidelines, the best known guideline was to check for airway (84.4%) and the least was urgent mobilization of injured person (3.1%). Their overall average knowledge of BLS score was 18 out of 30 points or 59.9 percent. Three fifths (64.1%) believed that CPR service was up to standard and about four fifths (79.7%) displayed their satisfaction with it. The majority (90.6%) believed they possessed enough skills; but a sizable number saw the need for further practical training about the unconscious (56.3%) and multiple injuries (32.8%).Main CPR obstacles faced were not enough training (37%) and shortage of staff (30%).
Conclusion: Ambulance crews demonstrated average knowledge (59.9%) of BLS. They pointed out need for further training in Unconscious, multiple injuries and severe bleeding
Key words: Basic life supZeinab Swaraldahab,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Sudan
port, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Ambulance crews
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