RESUMO
Purpose: This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of emergency physicians (EPs) related to psychiatric emergencies (PEs) in Makkah's general hospitals. Sample and Methods: This study was an observational cross-sectional study using an online survey distributed to 138 EPs in the emergency departments (EDs) of six public hospitals in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia, between March 15 and May 1, 2023. A convenience sample was used for data collection. The questionnaire was developed after related surveys in the literature were reviewed. Results: 59.9% of the physicians were aged 20-30 years. Most (68.8%) worked in hospitals that had psychiatric facilities. Regarding knowledge, only 30% of the emergency doctors were considered knowledgeable: the majority could identify PEs (79.7%), perform mental status examinations (71.0%), distinguish physical and mental symptoms (66.7%), and communicate with psychiatric patients (58.0%). However, only 52.9% could initiate management plans by prescribing psychiatric medication to patients. In relation to attitude, most physicians disagreed with the idea that healthcare practitioners do not need to advocate for psychiatric patients (67.4%), but many (62.3%) assumed that they do not have the responsibility to manage psychiatric patients, and they felt that conducting psychiatric evaluations in public hospitals is challenging because of the busy environment there. As regards practice, mentally ill patients (60.9%) were managed or referred by practices, and 56.5% of the EPs advised these patients upon discharge. Conclusion: The study showed that EPs have positive attitudes toward psychiatric patients, but their knowledge varied based on age, occupation levels, and years of experience. There were significant knowledge gaps, particularly regarding effective communication with psychiatric patients. Additionally, many EPs manage psychiatric patients without being aware of the psychiatric resources in their hospital. Improving medical school curricula and postgraduate training can enhance care. However, more research in this field is needed.
RESUMO
Purpose: Critical care knowledge constitutes an essential component in medicine. Unfortunately, ICU knowledge acquisition is limited in many medical schools. This study is intended to measure the knowledge background, gaps, and the confidence toward critical care concepts among final year medical students and interns at Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using a self-administered online questionnaire completed by final-year medical students and interns during January and February 2022. We collected data on demographics, academic year, critical care knowledge, competency, and satisfaction. Results: Two-hundred-twenty-one (221) responses were analyzed. The male gender was 54.3%. A small proportion (15.8%) identified the lowest acceptable oxygen saturation in a normal person. Around three-quarters of the participants did not feel competent about nasal airway suctioning and endotracheal tube suctioning (65.6% and 75.6%, respectively). Only 7.2% of the responder correctly identified the three most useful physiological observations pertinent to quick SOFA criteria. Regarding the training adequacy for identifying critically ill patients, 59.3% answered that they are inadequately trained. Regarding the satisfaction level of exposure to critical care, 54% of the sample responded that they need further improvement. Conclusion: Undergraduate students and interns have limited knowledge and confidence in critical care medicine. Thus, we highly recommend an early institution of a dedicated critical care training module in the medical school curriculum.
