Health Risks and Interventions in Exertional Heat Stress.

BACKGROUND: With climate change, heat waves are expected to become more frequent in the near future. Already, on average more than 25 000 "heat deaths" are estimated to occur in Europe every year. However, heat stress and heat illnesses arise not just when ambient temperatures are high. Physical exertion increases heat production within the organism many times over; if not enough heat is lost, there is a risk of exertional heat stress. This review article discusses contributing factors, at-risk groups, and the diagnosis and treatment of heat illnesses. METHODS: A selective literature search was carried out on PubMed. Current guidelines and expert recommendations were also included. RESULTS: Apart from muscular heat production (>70% of converted energy), there are other factors that singly or in combination can give rise to heat stress: clothing, climate/acclimatization, and individual factors. Through its insulating properties, clothing reduces the evaporation of sweat (the most effective physiological cooling mechanism). A sudden heat wave, or changing the climate zone (as with air travel), increases the risk of a heat-related health event. Overweight, low fitness level, acute infections, illness, dehydration, and other factors also reduce heat tolerance. In addition to children, older people are particularly at risk because of their reduced physiological adaptability, (multi-)morbidity, and intake of prescription drugs. A heat illness can progress suddenly to life-threatening heat stroke. Successful treatment depends on rapid diagnosis and cooling the body down as quickly as possible. The aim is to reduce core body temperature to <40 °C within 30 minutes. CONCLUSION: Immediately effective cooling interventions are the only causal treatment for heat stroke. Time once lost cannot be made up. Prevention (acclimatization, reduced exposure, etc.) and terminating the heat stress in good time (e.g., stopping work) are better than any cure.

Initial Results of the Master's Degree Programme in "Leadership in Medicine" - Impact on hospital-based follow-on training of doctors.

Objective: This pilot project, which was jointly conducted by a hospital and a university, describes the development of the Master's Degree Programme in Leadership in Medicine, a course designed to supplement medical specialty training. The aim of the pilot project is to demonstrate how hospital-based projects on personnel and organisational development undertaken under academic supervision can be used to increase leadership responsibility among doctors whose duties include providing initial and follow-on training and to professionalise medical specialty training as a leadership task. This need arose from the nationwide requirements and an internal audit regarding follow-on training. The version of the degree programme described below aims to further the personnel development of the participants in the field of didactics. Method: Each of the nine modules is made up of two classroom-based phases and one distance learning phase. The distance learning phase involves undertaking hospital-based projects on personnel and organisational development under academic supervision. The pilot phase participants were hospital doctors who, as part of their duties, hold leadership responsibility or are involved in the follow-on training of doctors. Results: The 17 participants successfully implemented more than 30 hospital-based projects during the distance learning phases of the nine modules. These projects included the development of medical specialty curricula, relevant didactic methods and evaluation design and were subsequently presented and subjected to reflection in interdisciplinary groups. The project presentation together with the project report were regarded as proof of competency. Conclusion: In addition to enhancing participant competency, the degree model described, which interlinks theory and practice, promotes organisational development through the implementation of projects undertaken under academic supervision. This has a double impact on the quality of medical follow-on training at the hospital where the participant is based, for not only is the individual's didactic competency enhanced, but so is the "learning organisation" as a whole as a result of continuous project orientation.