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Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine 2024;35(2): 154-164. |
| Status analysis and educational needs assessment for Ghana National Ambulance Service personnel in the Oti region: a cross-sectional study |
Sejun Lee1
, Joseph Mawunyo Apeadido2
, Minkyung Oh3
, Junseok Park1
, Woo Chan Jeon1
, Hoon Kim1
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1Department of Emergency Medicine, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang, Korea
2Worawora Government Hospital, Worawora, Ghana
3Department of Pharmacology, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea |
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Received: June 9, 2023; Revised: August 22, 2023 Accepted: October 18, 2023. Published online: April 30, 2024. |
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| 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.
Method:
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. |
| Key words:
Ghana; Ambulances; Emergency medical services; Developing countries |
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