Status analysis and educational needs assessment for Ghana National Ambulance Service personnel in the Oti region: a cross-sectional study
- Author:
Sejun LEE
1
;
Joseph Mawunyo APEADIDO
;
Minkyung OH
;
Junseok PARK
;
Woo Chan JEON
;
Hoon KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2024;35(2):154-164
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:EN
-
Abstract:
Objective:Although Ghana National Ambulance Service (NAS) personnel are being assigned to various scenes following formal training for 1 or 2 years, it is unclear if they have sufficient capacity to handle lengthy and long-distance patient transport in various emergencies. This study examined this through an analysis of referral patients in a typical rural area of Ghana and a survey of NAS personnel.
Methods:Cases of the patient group transported by NAS personnel were abstracted from the referral patients’ chart of Worawora Government Hospital (Oti region, Ghana). These charts were analyzed according to age, sex, diagnosis, and outcome. A self-assessment survey was also conducted to estimate the confidence NAS personnel had in their abilities.
Results:According to the records from the Worawora Government Hospital, from January to June 2021, 770 patients were admitted, including 126 obstetrics and gynecology patients (18.0%) and 124 trauma patients (17.7%). Sixty-nine patients (9.8%) who had already been transferred from lower-level hospitals were re-transferred to teaching hospitals. Among these, 33 were trauma patients (47.8%). In the survey, NAS personnel showed high confidence in the patient evaluation section, but they showed relatively low confidence in treating obstetrics and gynecology patients.
Conclusion:NAS personnel in the Oti region frequently encounter obstetrics and gynecology patients, as well as trauma patients, but they appear to lack the knowledge and skills required to transport such patients. Supplementation of knowledge and technical education in these fields is essential to ensure proper prehospital management.
