Education of paramedics regarding aspirin use.
OBJECTIVE
Paramedics (EMT-Ps) often care for patients having an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The benefit of early administration of aspirin in AMI is well established. This study was undertaken to determine whether EMT-Ps are able to retain information regarding the use of aspirin in AMI after a standard didactic session.


METHODS
The EMT-Ps from a suburban EMS system with an annual call volume of 4,000 were given a 12-question test regarding the out-of-hospital use of aspirin in AMI. They then received a 30-minute lecture about the use of aspirin in the out-of-hospital venue. Aspirin was then put into the treatment protocols for AMI. Three months after the educational session, a follow-up test was administered. A paired, two-tailed t-test was used to compare pretest and posttest scores with a p < or = 0.05 for statistical significance.


RESULTS
The study was completed by 22 of 25 EMT-Ps. The scores on the pretest ranged from 50% to 100% correct, with an average score of 83%. The posttest scores ranged from 83% to 100%, with an average score of 94% (p = 0.002). The questions missed on the posttest were regarding: 1) the length of the effects of aspirin, 2) the bronchospastic effects of aspirin, and 3) the recently instituted indications for its out-of-hospital use. All paramedics correctly identified the contraindications to aspirin use.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that EMT-Ps can retain information regarding the out-of-hospital use of aspirin for AMI after a standard didactic session. Further study is needed to determine how this information is clinically applicable.
Funk
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D
Department of Emergency Medicine, Albany Medical College, New York 12208, USA. dfunk@empireone.net
Groat
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C
Verdile
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VP
D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019036:Suburban Health Services; D014481:United States
D001241:Aspirin