Evaluating the efficacy of full-scale and tabletop exercises in enhancing paramedic preparedness for external disasters: A quasi-experimental study.

Background: The increasing frequency and severity of disasters worldwide needs effective disaster management training to enhance the preparedness and response capabilities of emergency responders. This study compares the outcomes of tabletop exercises (TTEs) and full-scale exercises (FSEs) in training senior paramedic students at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz College for Emergency Medical Services, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A nonequivalent two-group quasi-experimental design was used. Forty-five senior paramedic students who had completed a disaster management course were randomly assigned to either TTE or FSE groups. Both groups participated in a simulated multi-vehicle accident scenario. Data were collected using an adapted CLUT Scale survey, which measured learning, trust, and usefulness immediately after the exercises. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied to compare outcomes between the 2 groups.

Results: Both TTE and FSE resulted in high levels of perceived learning, trust, and usefulness among participants, indicating a positive impact on disaster preparedness. While the TTE group scored slightly higher on average across all variables, these differences were not statistically significant, suggesting that both exercise types are similarly effective. The findings underscore the cost-effectiveness of TTEs and their potential to foster collaborative learning environments.

Conclusions: Both TTE and FSE are effective in enhancing disaster preparedness among senior paramedic students. Given their adaptability and cost-effectiveness, TTEs may be particularly valuable for resource-constrained training settings. Further research with larger, more diverse samples and pre-/post-intervention assessments is recommended to validate these findings and improve disaster management training programs.