Abstract Emergency physicians (EPs) often regard care for older adults as complex, while they lack sufficient geriatric skills. This study evaluates the effect of a geriatric education program on EPs’ geriatric knowledge, attitude and medical practice when treating older adults. A mixed-methods study was performed on EPs from two Dutch hospitals. Effects were measured by pre–post tests of EPs’ (n = 21) knowledge of geriatric syndromes and attitudes toward older adults, and by a retrospective pre–post analysis of 100 records of patients aged 70 years or more. Six EPs were purposively sampled and interviewed after completion of the education program. The program significantly improved EPs’ geriatric knowledge. EPs indicated that the program improved their ability and attentiveness to recognize frailty and geriatric syndromes. The program also significantly improved EPs’ attention for the older patient’s social history and circumstances (P = 0.04) but did not have a significant effect on medical decision making. EPs valued especially the case-based teaching and indicated that the interactive setting helped them to better understand and retain knowledge. Combined quantitative and qualitative data suggest that EPs benefit from geriatric emergency teaching. Future enhancement and evaluation of the geriatric education program is needed to confirm benefits to clinical practice and patient outcomes.

中文翻译：

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老年医学教育计划对急诊医师的影响：一项混合方法研究。

摘要急诊医师（EP）经常将老年人的护理视为复杂的工作，而他们缺乏足够的老年医学技能。这项研究评估了老年教育计划对治疗老年人时EP的老年知识，态度和医疗实践的影响。对来自两家荷兰医院的EP进行了混合方法研究。通过对EPs（n = 21）的老年病综合征知识和对老年人的态度进行事前测试，以及对100岁以上70岁以上患者的记录进行回顾性事前分析，来评估疗效。在完成教育计划后，有目的地对六位EP进行了采样和采访。该计划大大提高了EP的老年知识。EP表示该程序提高了他们识别虚弱和老年综合征的能力和注意力。该程序还显着提高了EP对老年患者的社会历史和情况的关注（P = 0.04），但对医疗决策没有显着影响。EP尤其重视基于案例的教学，并指出交互式设置有助于他们更好地理解和保留知识。综合的定量和定性数据表明，EPs可从老年急诊中受益。需要对未来的老年医学教育计划进行增强和评估，以确认对临床实践和患者预后的益处。EP尤其重视基于案例的教学，并指出交互式设置有助于他们更好地理解和保留知识。综合的定量和定性数据表明，EPs可从老年急诊中受益。需要对未来的老年医学教育计划进行增强和评估，以确认对临床实践和患者预后的益处。EP尤其重视基于案例的教学，并指出交互式设置有助于他们更好地理解和保留知识。综合的定量和定性数据表明，EPs可从老年急诊中受益。需要对未来的老年医学教育计划进行增强和评估，以确认对临床实践和患者预后的益处。