Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T21:57:22.302Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Education and Training of Australian Disaster Medical Assistance Team Members: Results of a National Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2011

Peter Aitken ,
Peter A. Leggat ,
Andrew G. Robertson ,
Hazel Harley ,
Richard Speare  and
Muriel G. Leclercq
Peter Aitken
Affiliation:
James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland Australia The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Queensland Australia
Peter A. Leggat*
Affiliation:
The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Queensland Australia
Andrew G. Robertson
Affiliation:
James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland Australia Department of Health, Perth, Western Australia Australia
Hazel Harley
Affiliation:
James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland Australia Consultant, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, and Formerly Department of Health, Perth, Western Australia Australia
Richard Speare
Affiliation:
James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland Australia
Muriel G. Leclercq
Affiliation:
James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland Australia Department of Health, Perth, Western Australia Australia
*
Correspondence: Professor Peter A. Leggat Deputy Head, School of Public Health Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation SciencesJames Cook UniversityTownsville, Queensland 4811Australia. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction: Calls for disaster medical assistance teams (DMATs) are likely to continue in response to international disasters.

Objective: As part of a national survey, the present study was designed to evaluate the education and training of Australian DMATs.

Methods: Data were collected via an anonymous, mailed survey distributed via State and Territory representatives on the Australian Health Protection Committee, who identified team members associated with Australian DMAT deployments from the 2004 Southeast Asia tsunami disaster.

Results: The response rate for this survey was 50% (59/118). Most of the personnel had deployed to the tsunami-affected areas. The DMAT members were quite experienced, with 53% of personnel in the 45–55-year age group (31/59). Seventy-six percent of the respondents were male (44/58). While most respondents had not participated in any specific training or educational program, any kind of relevant training was regarded as important in preparing personnel for deployment. The majority of respondents had experience in disasters, ranging from hypothetical exercises (58%, 34/59) to actual military (41%, 24/49) and non-governmental organization (32%, 19/59) deployments. Only 27% of respondents felt that existing training programs had adequately prepared them for deployment. Thirty-four percent of respondents (20/59) indicated that they had not received cultural awareness training prior to deployment, and 42% (25/59) received no communication equipment training. Most respondents felt that DMAT members needed to be able to handle practical aspects of deployments, such as training as a team (68%, 40/59), use of communications equipment (93%, 55/59), ability to erect tents/shelters (90%, 53/59), and use of water purification equipment (86%, 51/59). Most respondents (85%, 50/59) felt leadership training was essential for DMAT commanders. Most (88%, 52/59) agreed that teams need to be adequately trained prior to deployment, and that a specific DMAT training program should be developed (86%, 51/59).

Conclusions: This study of Australian DMAT members suggests that more emphasis should be placed on the education and training. Prior planning is required to ensure the success of DMAT deployments and training should include practical aspects of deployment. Leadership training was seen as essential for DMAT commanders, as was team-based training. While any kind of relevant training was regarded as important for preparing personnel for deployment, Australian DMAT members, who generally are a highly experienced group of health professionals, have identified the need for specific DMAT training.

Keywords

Australiadisaster medical assistance teamsSoutheast Asiaeducationtraining
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , February 2011 , pp. 41 - 48
Copyright
Copyright Aitken © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED): Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT), 2009. Available at http://www.emdat.be. Accessed 29 May 2010.Google Scholar
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): World Disasters Report 2007. Geneva: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 2008.Google Scholar
Haddow, GD, Bullock, JA: International disaster management. In: Haddow, GD, Bullock, JA (eds). Introduction to Emergency Management. Philadelphia: Butterworth Heinemann, 2003, pp 165–200.Google Scholar
Russbach, R: International assistance operations in disaster situations. Prehosp Disaster Med 1990;5:247–249.Google Scholar
McEntire, DA: Balancing international approaches to disaster: Rethinking prevention instead of relief. Aust J Emerg Management 1998;13:50–55.Google Scholar
Dara, SI, Ashton, RW, Farmer, JC, et al: Worldwide disaster medical response: An historical perspective. Crit Care Med 2005;33(Suppl):s2–s6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bloom, S: Tsunami threats: The long and short of it. J Clin Invest 2005; 115:481.Google Scholar
Templeman, D: Operation Tsunami Assist. Aust J Emerg Management 2004; 19(4):2–3.Google Scholar
Bridgewater, FH, Aspinall, ET, Booth, JP, et al: Team Echo: Observations and lessons learned in the recovery phase of the 2004 Asian tsunami. Prehosp Disaster Med 2006;21(Suppl):s20–s25.Google Scholar
Byleveld, PM, Kent, MI, McCall, BJ: Operation Sumatra Assist: Post-tsunami environmenta and public health response in Banda Aceh. Aust Def Force Health 2006;6:48–53.Google Scholar
Cooper, DM: “Operation Tsunami Assist”—Australian civilian medical team deployment. Prehosp Disaster Med 2005;20(3 Suppl):s113–s114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garner, AA, Harrison, K: Early post tsunami disaster medical assistance to Banda Aceh: A personal account. Emerg Med Australas 2006;18:93–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grantham, H: Southeast Asian tsunami—Australian ECHO team response. Prehosp Disaster Med 2005;20(3 Suppl):s114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, A, Little, M: On the ground in Nias in response to an earthquake—An emergency team's experience. Emerg Med Australas 2006;18:199–202.Google Scholar
Pearce, A, Mark, P, Gray, N, et al: Responding to the Boxing Day tsunami disaster in Aceh, Indonesia: Western and South Australian contributions. Emerg Med Australas 2006;18:86–92.Google Scholar
Robertson, AG, Dwyer, DE, Leclercq, MG: Operation South East Asia Tsunami Assist: An Australian team in the Maldives. Med J Aust 2005;182:340–342.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
South Australian Department of Health: Australian Medical Assistance Team (AusMAT). Available at http://www.health.sa.gov.au/Default.aspx?tabid=128. Accessed 29 May 2010.Google Scholar
Wallace, AG: National disaster medical system: Disaster medical assistance teams. In. Hogan, DE, Burstein, JL (eds): Disaster Medicine. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2002, pp 133–142.Google Scholar
Quarantelli, EL: Assessing disaster preparedness planning. Regional Development Dialogue 1988;9:48–69.Google Scholar
Birch, M, Miller, S: Humanitarian assistance: Standards, skills, training and experience. BMJ 2005;330:1199–1201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garner, A, Nocera, A: Should New South Wales hospital disaster assistance teams be sent to major incident sites? Aust N Z J Surg 1999;69:702–706.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sharp, TW, Wightman, JM, Davis, MJ, et al: Military assistance in complex emergencies: What have we learned since the Kurdish relief effort? Prehosp Disaster Med 2001;16:197–208.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DeZee, KJ, Berbano, EP, Wilson, RL, et al: Humanitarian assistance medicine: perceptions of preparedness: a survey-based needs assessment of recent U.S. Army internal medicine residency graduates. Mil Med 2006;171:885–888.Google Scholar
Campbell, S: Responding to international disasters. Nurs Standard 2005;19(21): 33–36.Google Scholar
Moresky, RT, Eliades, MJ, Bhimani, MA, et al: Preparing international relief workers for health care in the field: An evaluation of organisational practices. Prehosp Disaster Med 2001;16:257–262.Google Scholar
Frisch, T: The international aid perspective. Crisis Response J 2005;1(2):22–23.Google Scholar
Brennan, RJ, Nandy, R: Complex humanitarian emergencies: A major global health challenge. Emerg Med 2001;13:147–156.Google Scholar
Gaudette, R, Schnitzer, J, George, E, et al: Lessons learned from the September 11th World Trade Centre Disaster: Pharmacy preparedness and participation in an international medical and surgical response team. Pharmacotherapy 2002;22:271–281.Google Scholar
VanRooyen, MJ, Hansch, S, Curtis, D, et al: Emerging issues and future needs in humanitarian assistance. Prehosp Disaster Med 2001;16:216–222.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yamada, S, Gunatialke, RP, Roytman, TM, et al: The Sri Lankan tsunami experience. Disaster Management Response 2006;4:38–48.Google Scholar
Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization: Evaluation of preparedness and response to hurricanes Georges and Mitch: Conclusions and recommendations. 1999. Available at http://www.paho.org/english/dd/ped/concleng.htm. Accessed 29 May 2010.Google Scholar
Griekspoor, A, Sondorp, E: Enhancing the quality of humanitarian assistance: Taking stock and future initiatives. Prehosp Disaster Med 2001;16:209–215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cummings, GE, Della Corte, F, Cummings, GG: Disaster medicine education in Canadian medical schools before and after September 11, 2001. Can J Emerg Med 2005;7:399–405.Google Scholar
Fitzgerald, GJ, Aitken, P, Arbon, P, et al: A National Framework for Disaster Health Education in Australia. Prehosp Disaster Med 2010;25:70–77.Google Scholar
Seynaeve, G, Archer, F, Fisher, J, et al for the Education Committee Working Group, World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine: International guidelines and standards for education and training for the multi-disciplinary health response to major events that threaten the health status of a community. Prehosp Disaster Med 2004;19(2):s17–s30.Google Scholar
Sammut, J, Cato, D, Homer, T: Major incident medical management and support (MIMMS): A practical, multiple casualty, disaster-site training course for all Australian health care personnel. Emerg Med 2001;13:174–180.Google Scholar
Aitken, P, Leggat, PA, Robertson, A, et al: Pre- and post-deployment health support provided to Australian Disaster Medical Assistance Team members: Results of a national survey. Travel Med Inf Dis 2009;7:305–311.Google Scholar
Birnbaum, ML: Professionalisation and credentialing. Prehosp Disaster Med 2005;20:210–211.Google Scholar
Telford, J, Cosgrove, J, Houghton, R: Joint evaluation of the international response to the Indian Ocean tsunami: synthesis report. London: Tsunami Evaluation Coalition, 2006.Google Scholar
Armagan, E, Engindeniz, Z, Devay, AO, et al: Frequency of post traumatic stress disorder among relief workers after the tsunami in Asia: Do rescuers become victims? Prehosp Disaster Med 2006;21:168–172.Google Scholar
Rutherford, WH: The place of exercises in disaster management. Injury 1990;21:58–60.Google Scholar
Kellison, T, Soult, TA, Hogan, DE: Education and Training in Disaster Medicine. Hogan, DE, Burstein, JL. Disaster Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins 2002:453–463.Google Scholar
Armour, SJ, Bastone, P, Birnbaum, M, et al: Education issues in disaster medicine: summary and action plan. Prehosp Disaster Med 2001;16:46–49.Google ScholarPubMed
Tadmor, B, Morse, SS, Qureshi, K: Comparison of the effectiveness of disaster drill methodologies: tabletop vs simulation exercise. 13th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine. Melbourne May 6–10 2003.Google Scholar
Skeff, KM, Berman, J, Stratos, G: A review of clinical teaching improvement methods and a theoretical framework for their evaluation. In: Edwards, JC, Maher, RL (Eds). Clinical Teaching for Medical Residents. New York: Springer, 1988:91–120.Google Scholar
Hotveldt, MO, Laskowski, RJ: Establishing priorities for hospital education. J Cont Edu Health Professions 2002;22:181–186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaufman, DM: Applying educational theory in practice. BMJ 2003;326: 213–216.Google Scholar
Vaugh, L, Baker, R: Teaching methods in the clinical setting: balancing teaching styles, learning styles and teaching methods. Med Teacher 2001;23:610–612.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grow, G: Teaching learners to be self directed. Adult Educ Q 1991;41:125–149.Google Scholar
Hutchinson, L: ABC of learning and teaching in medicine: Educational environment. BMJ 2003;326:810–812.Google Scholar
Brunet, LA: Medical response protocols for international events in Canada. Prehosp Disaster Med 2000;15:s65.Google Scholar
Ford, JK, Schmidt, AM: Emergency response training: Strategies for enhancing real-world performance. J Hazardous Materials, 2000;75:195–215.Google Scholar
DeVita, MA, Schaefer, J, Lutz, J, et al: Improving medical crisis team performance. Crit Care Med 2004;33(Suppl):s61–s5.Google Scholar
Holland, J, Wooster, P: International rescue team: Selection and training. Crisis Response J 2005;1:51–54.Google Scholar
Moore, S, Blasser, E: A new look at disaster medical assistance teams. Mil Med 1991;156:543–546.Google Scholar
UN Department of Health and Human Services: National Disaster Medical System 2006. Available at http://www.hhs.gov/aspr/opeo/ndms/index.html. Accessed 29 May 2010.Google Scholar
Burkle, FM, Isaac-Renton, J, Beck, A, et al: 5th Asia-Pacific conference on disaster medicine. Theme 5. Application of international standards to disasters: Summary and action plan. Prehosp Disaster Med 2001;16:36–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leus, XR: The road ahead. Prehosp Disaster Med 2000;15:136–143.Google Scholar
Waxman, BP, Guest, GD, Atkinson, RN: Disaster preparedness and humanitarian aid—The medical response to the Indian Ocean disaster: Lessons learnt, recommendations and RACS actions. Aust N Z J Surg 2006;76:1–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): The H.E.L.P. course: A multicultural and multidisciplinary learning experience. Available at http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/helpcourse?OpenDocument. Accessed 29 May 2010.Google Scholar
Australian Development Gateway. Australian Aid Resource Training Guide, 2006. Available at http://www.developmentgateway.com.au/jahia/jsp/index.jsp. Accessed 29 May 2010.Google Scholar
Pan American Health Organisation and World Health Organisation. Disasters and Humanitarian Assistance – Virtual Disaster Library. Avilable at http://www.paho.org/English/PED/about-vdl.htm. Accessed 29 May 2010.Google Scholar
Hodgetts, TJ, Mahoney, PF, Mozumder, A, et al: Care of civilians during military operations. Int J Disaster Med 2005;1:3–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aitken, P, Canyon, D, Hodge, J, et al: Disaster Medical Assistance Teams—A Literature Review. Western Australian Department of Health Disaster Preparedness and Management Health Protection Group, April 2006. Available at http://www.public.health.wa.gov.au/cproot/347/2/disaster%20medical%20assistance%20teams%20literature%20review%202006.pdf. Accessed 29 May 2009.Google Scholar
Leggat, PA, Seidl, I: Postgraduate education for health professionals working in Defence. Journal of Military and Veterans Health 2009;17(4):4–7.Google Scholar