J Korean Med Sci.  2017 Dec;32(12):1931-1937. 10.3346/jkms.2017.32.12.1931.

Assessment of Competence in Emergency Medicine among Healthcare Professionals in Cameroon

• Kim SC
• Ro YS
• Shin SD
• Wi DH
• Jeong J
• Park JO
• Sun KM
• Bae K

• KMID: 2396368
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2017.32.12.1931

Abstract

Development of a competence-based curriculum is important. This study aimed to develop competence assessment tools in emergency medicine and use it to assess competence of Cameroonian healthcare professionals. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. Through literature review, expert survey, and discrimination tests, we developed a self-survey questionnaire and a scenario-based competence assessment tool for assessing clinical knowledge and self-confidence to perform clinical practices or procedures. The self-survey consisted of 23 domains and 94 questionnaires on a 5-point Likert scale. Objective scenario-based competence assessment tool was used to validate the self-survey results for five life-threatening diseases presenting frequently in emergency rooms of Cameroon. Response rate of the self-survey was 82.6%. In this first half of competence assessment, knowledge of infectious disease had the highest score (4.6 ± 0.4) followed by obstetrics and gynecology (4.2 ± 0.6) and hematology and oncology (4.2 ± 0.5); in contrast, respondents rated the lowest score in the domains of disaster, abuse and assault, and psychiatric and behavior disorder (all of mean 2.8). In the scenario-based test, knowledge of multiple trauma had the highest score (4.3 ± 1.2) followed by anaphylaxis (3.4 ± 1.4), diabetic ketoacidosis (3.3 ± 1.0), ST-elevation myocardial infarction (2.5 ± 1.4), and septic shock (2.2 ± 1.1). Mean difference between the self-survey and scenario-based test was statistically insignificant (mean, −0.02; 95% confidence interval, −0.41 to 0.36), and agreement rate was 58.3%. Both evaluation tools showed a moderate correlation, and the study population had relatively low competence for specific aspects of emergency medicine and clinical procedures and skills.

Keyword

Professional Competence; Emergency Medicine; Developing Countries

MeSH Terms

Anaphylaxis
Cameroon*
Communicable Diseases
Curriculum
Delivery of Health Care*
Developing Countries
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Disasters
Discrimination (Psychology)
Emergencies*
Emergency Medicine*
Emergency Service, Hospital
Gynecology
Hematology
Mental Competency*
Multiple Trauma
Myocardial Infarction
Obstetrics
Professional Competence
Shock, Septic
Surveys and Questionnaires

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