Increasing paramedics' comfort and knowledge about children with special health care needs

This study evaluated a continuing education program for paramedics about ch ildren with special health care needs (CSHCN). Pretraining, posttraining, a nd follow-up surveys containing two scales (comfort with CSHCN management s kills and comfort with Pediatric Advanced Life Support [PALS] skills) were administered. Objective measures of knowledge were obtained from pre- and p osttraining tests, Differences in average scores were assessed using t test s. Response rates for paramed- ics completing the program ranged from 94% f or the posttraining survey, 81% for the initial comfort survey, 56% for the knowledge pretest, and 56% for the follow up survey, PALS comfort scores w ere significantly higher than CSHCN comfort scores both before and after tr aining, both P < .01, Posttraining surveys showed an increase in CSHCN comf ort, P < .01, The follow up surveys showed a significant decline in CSHCN c omfort, P = .05, Scores on the tests showed a similar pattern, with a signi ficant increase in knowledge from pre to posttraining (P = .02) and a signi ficant decrease in knowledge from posttraining to follow-up (P < .01), Comf ort was significantly higher for standard pediatric skills than for special ized management skills, Completion of the self-study program was associated with an increase in comfort and knowledge, but there was some decay over t ime, Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.