Publication: Medikal kurtarma ekibi üyelerinin acil durum/afetlere yönelik bireysel hazırlıkları ve afet sonrası iş sürekliliği değerlendirmesi: İstanbul Ulusal Medikal Kurtarma Ekibi örneği
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to determine İstanbul UMKE worker's self-efficacy for disaster preparedness plan, attitudes for business continuity at Health Services in Disasters, understand the effects of demographic variables UMKE participation data on the level of knowledge and attitude. The research has been carried out between 01.07.2019-01.06.2020 at Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate Emergency Health Services Department, with the participation of volunteers and staff working in Istanbul UMKE. The data was obtained through a questionnaire containing questions about the demographic and UMKE participation information of the staff, an overview of the concept of disaster, individual preparation for disasters and emergency, the people affected by the participants in individual and family preparation and the resources they benefited from, disaster business continuity, the technical competencies they may need during the individual preparation process and after the disaster. 351 participants (191 women, 160 men) with different educational levels and different tasks were included in the study.The average age of the participants was 32.5±7.8 years. The average time they spent in their profession and volunteered at UMKE was found to be 10.9±7.6 years and 4.1±3.5 years, respectively. It was learned that 78.1% of the participants received "disaster awareness training" subjecting individual preparation for disasters in the institution or non-governmental organization where they work. It was determined that 27.1% of the participants experienced an emergency/disaster before, 32.8% of them took a part in any emergency/disaster. 248 (70.65%) of the participants think that there is a high probability of encountering a disaster in the near future, and 320 (91.16%) of the participants thought that they could be affected by this disaster. In the overview of disaster concept section, the full score is 30, the calculated average score is 19.37 and the average rate of success has been determined as 64.58%. The average score was higher in female participants, in those who were previously exposed to disasters. As a result of the analysis of the answers given to the questions about individual and family preparation for the disaster, the average score calculated over 80 full points is 64.1, and the success rate is 80.15%. The total score was highest among technical staff and the lowest among medical secretaries. The scores were higher in personel working in private institutions, in those who received disaster awareness training, in those who worked in any disaster before, in those who participated in developmental training and exercises besides basic education. The people affected by individual and family preparednesses for disasters and emergencies were people whose importance is given, related policies, family members, friends, books, newspapers and brochures with decreasing frequency. In this section, the full score was 30 and the calculated average score was 19.9. It was determined that the participants who received disaster awareness training had a higher score. In the analysis of the answers given to questions related to business continuity in emergency and disaster situations, the average score calculated over 60 full points was 44 and the average success rate was 73.26%. The highest score was of the technical staff, the lowest among the paramedic and emergency medical technicians. The scores were higher in those who received disaster awareness training, who took part in any disaster before and who received all UMKE trainings and participated in the exercises. In the analysis of the responses given by the participants to the questions related to the technical competencies required for intervention in emergencies and disasters, the average score calculated over 45 full points was 36.3 and the average success rate was 80.68%. Higher scores were determined in men, those working at private institutions, anesthesiologists, disaster awareness trainers, those who took part in previous disasters and those who took all of the UMKE training and participated in the exercises. The score obtained in the survey section on business continuity was positively correlated with the UMKE volunteering period, the total score received from the individual preparation section, and the score from the person and resources section affected by individual and family preparation. It has been concluded that factors that provide information and guidance about disaster overview should be added to the UMKE training program, the experience of the person increases awareness of disaster preparedness, and if the awareness about disaster overview is increased, the level of individual preparedness will increase. The main reasons for the individuals who could not get enough responses on individual preparation were determined as the participants' thinking that they had more important responsibilities than preparing for disasters, not having enough information, financial resources and time. Taking action in this subject will positively affect the individual preparation process. It is thought that more accurate resources are used as the experience of the participant increases. It is thought to be useful to use brochures and images to solidify the training of the staff and to encourage their individual preparation. Another tought is that providing an environment in which UMKE personel will have the safety of their relatives after the disaster will positively affect business continuity, which is why it is considered important to prepare for disaster in people with whom they are concerned about their lives. Our results reveal the willingness of the UMKE staff and they show that they tend to get ready to work in a short time by contacting UMKE if needed. However, it has been observed that there are uncertainties about some issues related to business processes and by setting standards of these issues will increase their participation rates after emergency/disasters. It is understood that the participants consider themselves sufficient in terms of technical competence, but there are deficiencies in organization with people in their living areas. It is concluded that the better the technical competence the better the individual preparation is and more accurate resources will be used and the business continuity will be better as a result.