CONTEMPORARY TRENDS FOR DISASTER MEDICINE TRAINING
Keywords:
Disaster Medicine, Education, Disaster ReadinessAbstract
Disasters are unusual and sometimes unpredictable events. The incidence has increased in recent decades as the society progress. We cannot always predict them, but we can prepare for them. It is the responsibility of healthcare to achieve the highest possible level of readiness for medical professionals so that they could be of service if and when they are needed. The purpose of this study is to research the forms of disaster medicine training available in different countries to analyze contemporary trends for development. Materials and methods: By the means of the descriptive method, significance of disaster medicine knowledge and skills for medical professionals are presented. Comparative and deductive analyses are performed to assess the forms of disaster medicine training in different countries around the world. Results and discussion: The review of current disaster scenarios illustrates that the healthcare system can face disaster at any time, in any place and without warning, with a limited response interval. To provide timely and adequate medical care for the casualties, numerous challenges have to be overcome. The medical staff has to perform coping activities that differ significantly from their daily routine. The limited time and the overwhelming number of casualties may hinder the access to many of the modern technologies. This requires simplified techniques for diagnosis and treatment, patient tracking and communication, as well as transitioning to old-fashioned practices and procedures. The available specialists may be overwhelmed, leaving casualty management to professionals from different fields. A shortage of consumables and medicines can be expected, as many deliveries are made daily. As a result, there will be a much greater need for prioritization, both among patients and between diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, compared to standard medical care. With the growing awareness of the need for disaster medicine training, in recent years a large number of modules have been presented. All researched countries offer disaster medicine courses. Substantial differences are noticed in the time and form in which they are conducted, as well as in the topics and teaching methods. Most of the researched educational institutions conduct postgraduate or master’s courses in disaster medicine. Training modules for undergraduate students are also available, mainly in the form of elective courses. Several of the analyzed medical universities include the subject in the primary schedule for most of the medical specialties. Conclusions: Knowledge in the field of disaster medicine is essential and targeted training to prepare medical professionals for the specific disaster challenges is needed. There is a tendency of increasing efforts in this field in all researched countries. Despite that, currently there are no unified training programs and methods. More research is necessary to design and validate a conventional disaster medicine course, which should be implemented in the educational schedule of all medical professionals
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