ESCAPE (Evaluating Surge Capacity And PrEparedness)

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The ESCAPE study intends to assess the possibility of recruiting students as surge capacity work force in hospitals in the event of a major medical incident such as an epidemic or pandemic.

Detailed Description
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The ESCAPE study intends to assess the possibility of recruiting students as surge capacity work force in hospitals in event of a major medical incident such as an epidemic or pandemic. The study consists of two parts: To identify the need for student surge capacity work force in relevant departments most affected by major medical incidents (e.g. Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, etc.). This part also raises the question of which tasks can be delegated to such a surge capacity workforce and which training may be required to prepare for such tasks. To identify and quantify the willingness of students to enroll as surge capacity workforce, identifying which tasks they would be willing to perform and which organisational framework is required for their work (training, insurance, pay, etc.). Both subparts as planned as questionnaires to be completed voluntarily and anonymously.

Official Title
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ESCAPE (Evaluating Surge Capacity And PrEparedness): a Multicenter Study on Recruiting Students as Surge Capacity Workforce in the Event of a Pandemic

Conditions
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Disaster Medicine, Delivery of Health Care

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Answering questionnaire


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Medical experts (heads of departements and other management positions) working in selected departments that are typically affected by major medical incidents at the time of questionnaire roll-out. Medical students >18 years of age of any year enrolled in the year 2023-2024 in any of the 38 medical faculties in Germany Exclusion Criteria: none, as questionnaire participation was achieved by invitation of eligible volunteers

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Medical experts in departments at risk<br>Expert healthcare workers at the Munich University Hospital within departments potentially affected by a major medical incident that could benefit from student surge capacity workforce. The following departments are included: Emergency Department, Intensive Care Units, Intermediate Care Units, Medical and Surgical wards, Department for Microbiology, Department for Infectious Diseases, Department for Laboratory Medicine, Antibiotic Stewardship Team, Department for Tropical Medicine, Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, Institute for Emergency Medicine, Faculty Dean's office. | Behavioral: Answering questionnaire<br>* A questionnaires for each group has been developped and will be distributed for voluntary and anonymous completion.<br>|
| Students<br>Medical students from all medical faculties in Germany to be questioned on their willingness to partake in clinical work as surge capacity work force in the context of a potential major medical incident. | Behavioral: Answering questionnaire<br>* A questionnaires for each group has been developped and will be distributed for voluntary and anonymous completion.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Student surge capacity workforce needed | Is the general opinion that a student workforce would be beneficial in the context of a major medical incident? | baseline | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Student willingness to work as student surge capacity workforce | Are medical students willing to be involved as surge capacity workforce? | baseline | 
| Tasks to be delegated to surge capacity workforce | What tasks can be delegated to a student workforce and what training is required to safely delegate these? | baseline | 
| Organisational framework in which to embed surge capacity workforce | What organisational aspects need to be addressed in setting up a student surge capacity workforce? | baseline | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Surge capacity, Disaster medicine, pandemic preparedness, Hospital volunteers