Medical emergencies: the experience of staff of a UK dental teaching hospital

Objective To assess the frequency of faints and other medical emergencies experienced by staff of a UK dental hospital. To investigate the training they had received in the management of medical emergencies, their perception of readiness to deal with emergencies and future training needs. Subjects All 193 clinical staff (dentists, hygienists, nurses and radiographers) of the University Dental Hospital of Manchester. Design Structured questionnaire with covering letter, reminders sent to non-responders. Results There was an 82% response. Fainting was the commonest event: other medical emergency events were experienced with an average frequency of 1.8 events per year with the highest frequency reported by staff in oral surgery. Most expressed a need for further training. only 3% felt no need. Conclusions Medical emergencies occur in dental hospital practice more frequently but in similar proportions to that found in general dental practice. There is a perceived need for further training among dental hospital staff in the management of medical emergencies.