GPs' perceived competence and comfort in managing medical emergencies in southeast Queensland.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about general practitioners' confidence and competence in managing medical emergencies, yet these qualities are vital to maximise patients' chances of survival.


OBJECTIVE
To document the distribution and determinants of GPs' self reported levels of comfort and competence in managing medical emergencies, and GPs' interest in attending an emergency skills update course.


METHODS
We conducted a random sample survey of 900 GPs in current clinical practice in southeast Queensland.


RESULTS
Five hundred and twelve (57%) GPs responded to the questionnaire. An association between perceived levels of competence and the amount of training GPs received was demonstrated (P < 00.05 for 14 of 16 listed emergency skills), as was an association between level of comfort in managing emergencies and the frequency with which such emergency types are encountered in practice (P < 0.05 for 8 of 18 listed emergencies). Sixty-nine percent of GPs expressed interest in attending a specifically designed emergency medicine update course.


CONCLUSIONS
Postgraduate training in and experience with medical emergencies is important for GPs' confidence and competence in dealing with such emergencies. A proposed update course designed specifically for GPs was strongly supported.
Dick
Marie-Louise
ML
Centre for General Practice, School of Population Health, University of Queensland. marie-louise.dick@sph.uq.edu.au
Schluter
Philip
P
Johnston
Catherine
C
Coulthard
Mark
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D004630:Emergencies; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011336:Probability; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011793:Queensland; D012424:Rural Population