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

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 posttest 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.

Global Emergency Medicine: A Scoping Review of the Literature from 2022

“…implemented the World Health Organization Basic Emergency Care (BEC) course for the first time in a European context and during an active humanitarian conflict and demonstrated improvement in emergency care knowledge and skill performance. Finally, in a second paper from Kivlehan et al., 69 no significant difference in pre‐ and posttest improvement or perceived quality of the training was found between BEC training‐of‐trainers courses offered in person or virtually.…”