Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40380107›Full record

Trial reportBMC emergency medicine2025

Effectiveness of Finnish SISU training in enhancing prehospital personnels' work performance: A randomised controlled pilot study.

Hanna Vihonen, Janne Karvonen, Harri Gustafsberg, Juha-Matti Huhta, Heidi Kangasniemi, Timo Jama, Sanna Hoppu

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC emergency medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Hanna VihonenDepartment of Emergency Medicine Services, Wellbeing Services County of Päijät-Häme, Lahti, Finland. hanna.vihonen@paijatha.fi.
Janne KarvonenDepartment of Emergency Medicine Services, Wellbeing Services County of Päijät-Häme, Lahti, Finland. janne.karvonen@paijatha.fi.
Harri GustafsbergInternational Performance Resilience and Efficiency Program, Pirkkala, Finland.
Juha-Matti HuhtaResearch, Development and Innovation (RDI) Activities, Police University College, Tampere, Finland.
Heidi KangasniemiDepartment of Emergency Medicine Services, Wellbeing Services County of Päijät-Häme, Lahti, Finland.
Timo JamaDepartment of Emergency Medicine Services, Wellbeing Services County of Päijät-Häme, Lahti, Finland.
Sanna HoppuEmergency Medicine Services, Centre for Prehospital Emergency Care, Pirkanmaa Wellbeing Services County, Tampere, Finland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundResilience means coping with and recovering quickly from adversities. This is a highly beneficial quality for prehospital personnel, who encounter many unforeseen stressors while on duty. This study investigated whether a novel pre-emptive resilience coaching programme, 'Finnish SISU training' (hereafter SISU), based on the validated International Performance Resilience and Efficacy Program (iPREP), would improve the work performance by enhancing situational and decision-making skills of prehospital personnel. 'Sisu' is a Finnish word meaning the combination of toughness and resilience.

methodsThis randomised controlled pilot study was conducted in Päijät-Häme, Finland. The sample comprised 16 paramedics, divided equally between the intervention and control groups. SISU was administered to the intervention group. Three full-scale simulation scenarios were then conducted. A blinded observer evaluated the participants' situational awareness and decision-making skills using a structured observer form, awarding them a maximum of 10 points. Participants completed a self-evaluation form before and after each simulation scenario and the responses were rated on a 5-point Likert scale. The results of these forms were compared between groups. We also compared the median values of heart rate variability (HRV), maximum heart rate, and respiratory rate between the groups.

resultsAfter 16 h of pre-emptive SISU, the intervention group improved their situational awareness and decision-making skills in the third simulation scenario (observer form results: intervention group median 10 [IQR 9-10] and control group median 6 [IQR 5-7], p ≤ 0.01). In contrast, observer ratings of the control group showed a diminishing trend in work performance across the three simulation scenarios. Self-evaluation revealed increased confidence in work performance in both study groups, in contrast to the blinded observer findings. Regarding HRV, the intervention group in contrast to the control group, recovered in minutes following the simulation scenarios, especially after the third simulation scenario (third defusing session: intervention group median HRV 27 [IQR 21-28], control group median HRV 21 [IQR 17-22], p < 0.01).

conclusionSISU improved work performance, which was measured by situational awareness and decision-making skills under stressful conditions. Resilience, a skill gained from this novel training, may have positive effects on coping with stress.

trial registrationISRCTN10221308. Registered at 19.3.2024. Retrospectively registered. https//www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN10221308.

Indexed as

Emergency Medical TechniciansResilience, PsychologicalWork PerformanceAdultDecision MakingFemaleFinlandHeart RateHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsDecision-making skillsPre-emptivePrehospital personnelResilienceSimulationSituational awarenessStress

Identifiers

PMID40380107
PMCPMC12082985

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.