Emergency Preparedness and Medicolegal Awareness Among Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in Türkiye: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Objectives: Medical emergencies represent a critical issue in dental practice. This study aimed to evaluate oral and maxillofacial surgeons’ (OMFSs) self-perceived competence in emergency management and their awareness of related legal rights and responsibilities. Methods: An anonymous, self-administered 18-item questionnaire assessed first-aid skills and legal awareness among OMFSs and residents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Among 133 respondents, 54.2% reported competence in basic life support (BLS) and only 11.7% reported competence in advanced life support (ALS). Legal obligations for mandatory first aid were unknown to 67.7% of participants, and 91.1% regarded undergraduate medicolegal education as inadequate. Conclusions: Substantial gaps exist in both emergency preparedness and legal awareness among OMFSs. Regular, skills-based emergency training and structured medicolegal education should be incorporated throughout undergraduate and specialty training.

Keywords

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• First Aid
• Medical Emergencies
• Legislation
• Education

Türkiye’de Ağız ve Çene Yüz Cerrahlarında Acil Durumlara Hazırlık ve Tıbbi-Hukuki Farkındalık: Kesitsel Bir Anket Çalışması

Abstract

Amaç: Tıbbi acil durumlar diş hekimliği pratiğinde kritik bir öneme sahiptir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, ağız ve çene yüz cerrahlarının (AÇYC) acil durum yönetimindeki öz-yeterlik algılarını ve buna ilişkin yasal hak ve sorumluluk farkındalıklarını değerlendirmektir. Yöntem: Ağız ve çene yüz cerrahları ve asistanlarının ilk yardım becerilerini ve hukuki farkındalık düzeylerini değerlendirmek amacıyla, 18 maddeden oluşan anonim ve öz-bildirime dayalı bir anket uygulanmıştır. Veriler tanımlayıcı istatistikler ve Ki-kare testi kullanılarak analiz edilmiş, p < 0.05 değeri istatistiksel olarak anlamlı kabul edilmiştir. Bulgular: Toplam 133 katılımcının %54,2’si temel yaşam desteği (TYD) uygulamalarında yeterli olduğunu bildirirken, yalnızca %11,7’si ileri yaşam desteği (İYD) konusundaki yeterliğini belirtmiştir. Katılımcıların %67,7’si zorunlu ilk yardım yükümlülüğüne ilişkin yasal düzenlemelerden haberdar olmadığını ifade etmiş, %91,1’i ise lisans eğitiminde verilen tıbbi-hukuki eğitimi yetersiz bulmuştur. Sonuç: Ağız ve çene yüz cerrahlarında hem acil durumlara hazırlık hem de hukuki farkındalık açısından belirgin eksikliklerin bulunduğu görülmektedir. Lisans ve uzmanlık eğitim süreçlerinin her aşamasında, beceri temelli acil durum eğitimlerinin düzenli olarak uygulanması ve yapılandırılmış tıbbi-hukuki eğitimin güçlendirilmesi gerekmektedir.

Keywords

• Ağız ve Çene Yüz Cerrahisi
• İlk Yardım
• Tıbbi acil durum
• mevzuat
• eğitim

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