Evaluation of the Impact of a Tourniquet Training Program: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Among the main preventable causes of death in the area of operations is external exsanguinating hemorrhage in the extremities, hence the importance of the tourniquet as a therapeutic tool in this type of injury and, therefore, of the training of personnel participating in international missions. The main objective of this study is to determine the impact of training in the application of this device. This is a quasi-experimental, prospective, cross-sectional study, carried out with 97 healthy volunteers, military personnel who perform their work in the Royal Guard barracks of El Pardo. The study was conducted between June 2019 and July 2021. The correct determination of the device placement site and the times of correct device placement were evaluated by determining whether there was blood flow using Doppler ultrasound measurements. Statistically significant results were obtained for application time (76.68 s to 58.06 s; p < 0.001), correct device placement (p < 0.001), and achievement of complete ischemia in the upper extremity (23.7% pretest vs. 24.7% post-test; p < 0.001). In the lower extremity, after training, longer application duration (43.33 s to 47.30 s) and lower ischemia achievement (59.8% pretest vs. 37.8% post-test) were obtained. Standardized and regulated training improves device application. More intensive training is necessary to obtain better results.

Validation of an evaluation instrument for responders in tactical casualty care simulations.

OBJECTIVE: to construct and validate a tool for the evaluation of responders in tactical casualty care simulations. METHOD: three rubrics for the application of a tourniquet, an emergency bandage and haemostatic agents recommended by the Hartford Consensus were developed and validated. Validity and reliability were studied. Validation was performed by 4 experts in the field and 36 nursing participants who were selected through convenience sampling. Three rubrics with 8 items were evaluated (except for the application of an emergency bandage, for which 7 items were evaluated). Each simulation was evaluated by 3 experts. RESULTS: an excellent score was obtained for the correlation index for the 3 simulations and 2 levels that were evaluated (competent and expert). The mean score for the application of a tourniquet was 0.897, the mean score for the application of an emergency bandage was 0.982, and the mean score for the application of topical haemostats was 0.805. CONCLUSION: this instrument for the evaluation of nurses in tactical casualty care simulations is considered useful, valid and reliable for training in a prehospital setting for both professionals who lack experience in tactical casualty care and those who are considered to be experts.

Validation of an evaluation instrument for responders in tactical casualty care simulations / Validação de um instrumento de avaliação para a prática de cuidados de saúde estratégicos / Validación de un instrumento de evaluación para la práctica de la atención sanitaria táctica

Objective: to construct and validate a tool for the evaluation of responders in tactical casualty care simulations. Method: three rubrics for the application of a tourniquet, an emergency bandage and haemostatic agents recommended by the Hartford Consensus were developed and validated. Validity and reliability were studied. Validation was performed by 4 experts in the field and 36 nursing participants who were selected through convenience sampling. Three rubrics with 8 items were evaluated (except for the application of an emergency bandage, for which 7 items were evaluated). Each simulation was evaluated by 3 experts. Results: an excellent score was obtained for the correlation index for the 3 simulations and 2 levels that were evaluated (competent and expert). The mean score for the application of a tourniquet was 0.897, the mean score for the application of an emergency bandage was 0.982, and the mean score for the application of topical haemostats was 0.805. Conclusion: this instrument for the evaluation of nurses in tactical casualty care simulations is considered useful, valid and reliable for training in a prehospital setting for both professionals who lack experience in tactical casualty care and those who are considered to be experts.

Objetivo: construir e validar um instrumento de avaliação da prática, por meio da simulação, nos cuidados de saúde estratégicos. Método: três instrumentos para práticas de avaliação de aplicação do torniquete, bandagem de emergência e agente hemostático recomendados pelo Consenso de Hartford foram desenvolvidos e validados. A validade e a confiabilidade foram estudadas. A validação foi realizada por quatro especialistas da área e trinta e seis enfermeiros participantes selecionados por amostragem por conveniência. Três instrumentos de avaliação com 8 itens foram avaliados (com exceção da bandagem de emergência, que tinha 7 itens para avaliar). Cada prática foi avaliada por três especialistas. Resultados: uma pontuação excelente foi obtida no cálculo do índice de correlação para as três práticas e nos dois níveis avaliados (competente e especialista). A pontuação média para a aplicação do torniquete foi de 0,897, para o curativo de emergência foi de 0,982 e para a aplicação de agentes hemostáticos tópicos foi de 0,805. Conclusão: este instrumento de avaliação da prática por meio de simulação nos cuidados de saúde estratégicos é considerado útil, válido e confiável para o treinamento no contexto pré-hospitalar tanto dos profissionais que não possuem experiência nos cuidados estratégicos quanto nos considerados peritos.

Objetivo: construir y validar un instrumento de evaluación de la práctica, mediante simulación, en la atención sanitaria táctica. Método: se construyeron y validaron tres rúbricas de las prácticas de aplicación del torniquete, vendaje de emergencia y agente hemostático recomendadas por el Consenso Hartford. Se estudió la validez y fiabilidad. La validación se realizó por cuatro expertos en la materia y treinta y seis participantes enfermeros que fueron la muestra de conveniencia. Se evaluaron tres rúbricas con 8 ítems (excepto para el vendaje de emergencia que fueron 7 ítems a evaluar). Cada práctica fue evaluada por tres expertos. Resultados: se ha obtenido una excelente puntuación en el cálculo del índice de correlación para las tres prácticas y en los dos niveles evaluados (competente y experto). La puntuación media para la rúbrica de aplicación del torniquete fue de 0.897, la del vendaje de emergencia 0.982 y para la aplicación de hemostáticos tópicos 0.805. Conclusión: este instrumento de evaluación de la práctica mediante simulación en la atención sanitaria se considera útil, válido y fiable para la formación en el entorno prehospitalario tanto de profesionales que carecen de experiencia en atención táctica como de aquellos considerados como expertos.