Massive Influx of Victims: Staff Preparedness and Facility Readiness of Tunisian General University Hospitals.

Abstract

Introduction:Hospital preparedness for a massive influx of victims relies, to a certain extent, on actions, programs, and systems that are created and executed ahead of time, but also on the knowledge, skills, and professional competences of the hospital's staff. This study aims to understand the factors influencing the preparedness of Tunisian University Hospital staff in facing a massive influx of victims.Method:This is a multi-method qualitative descriptive study, conducted in nine general University Hospitals (UH) in Tunisia; the first component was a phenomenological design via open-ended interviews; the second component was a qualitative observational non-participatory design via field observations.Results:17 participants were recruited, in an intentional non-probabilistic way. Participants to this study discussed issues related to the material and financial resources of their hospitals; the psychological impact of managing an influx of victims; their training, their involvement in the process, and the norm versus the circumstances in the field. Which led to the conclusion that: "For multiple reasons, the Tunisian University Hospitals are not ready to properly manage a massive influx of victims"Conclusion:This multi-method qualitative study discussed the factors that affected the preparedness of staff and readiness of UHs included. Factors were mainly resources (material and financial), psychological burden, lack of training, lack of involvement in the process and issues related to evidence-based practice. Data collected supports the idea that more research and more practical interventions need to be performed to increase the preparedness level of Tunisian UHs and their staff.