Knowledge and Confidence of Omani Pediatric Residents in Managing Diabetic Ketoacidosis: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract Introduction Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a common complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Unfortunately, medical errors are not uncommon during the management of DKA leading to significant morbidity and mortality. There are many studies conducted to assess the knowledge of junior doctors in the management of DKA in many countries including Bahrain and Iraq. Objectives This study aims to assess the knowledge and confidence of Omani pediatric residents in the management of DKA and compare the findings with the results of previous studies from the region. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among all enrolled pediatric residents in the Oman Medical Specialties Board in 2021, using an online survey that consists of three parts with a total of 30 questions to gain information about demographics, knowledge, and overall confidence in the management of DKA in children. The questionnaire was adopted from the Bahraini and Iraqi studies. Results In total, 69 pediatric residents (15M:54F) out of 84 had responded to the survey, giving a response rate of 82%. More than half of the responders were junior residents R1 and R2 (59.3%). The overall performance score of knowledge among the residents mainly ranged between 50 and 75%. However, R2 resident performance was better as their score ranged between 80 and 85%. Only 5.7% of our residents had a performance score above 90%. The overall confidence of residents in managing patients with DKA was directly proportional to their year of residency, ranging from not confident to very confident, demonstrating that most residents from R1 to R3 rated themselves as “fair” compared with 58.3% of 4th-year residents who rated themselves as confident. In comparison to similar studies in Bahrain and Iraq, our junior residents showed better knowledge in some aspects, for example, identifying the correct biochemical criteria to diagnose DKA, 88.7 vs. 65% from Bahrain and 20.7% from Iraq. Conclusion The overall knowledge and confidence of the Omani pediatric residents were satisfying. However, there are still some gaps in knowledge to be bridged about the management of pediatric DKA. Continuous educational activities are desired. Therefore, more sessions about DKA management are to be scheduled, perhaps applying some simulation training to boost their knowledge and confidence.