Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the world, and cardiac arrests are on the rise. Sudden cardiac death is a major clinical, and public health problem, and survival remains poor. Simulation-based basic life support (BLS) training gives the right steps to revive somebody who has a cardiac arrest. This involves Hands-on training on manikins to enable fast recognition and skilled response to help save lives after cardiac arrest. In this context, it is important for medical students to know, how to provide timely cardiopulmonary resuscitation which forms an integral part of BLS training. We conducted this study to first know about the existing knowledge and skills of BLS among medical students and then evaluated the impact of simulation-based BLS training by conducting written and practical tests.
Aims and Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the knowledge and psychomotor skills of medical students in providing BLS, after undergoing the simulation-based BLS training.
Materials and Methods: A total of 85 undergraduate students of II and III year MBBS, of both sexes, were included in this experimental study. Each student had a simulation-based hands-on BLS training using Laerdal adult and infant mannikins with feedback device, Ambu bag, and automated external defibrillator trainers. They were taught the sequence of the steps of BLS during the practice-while-watching, simulation-based teaching, to facilitate better understanding and retention of the sequence of BLS steps. A self-administered, pretested questionnaire was given a pre-test and post-test along with a practical skill assessment. The data were analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences version 22.0 - paired t-test and multiple regression analysis.
Results: A total of 85, 2nd and 3rd-year MBBS students participated in the study, of which 49 were female (57.6%) and 36 were male (42.4). 45 students (52.9%) were of the age group between 18 and 21 years and 40 students (47.1%) were of the age group between 22 and 25 years. There was no significant difference in pre- and post-test scores between males and females. Simulation-based teaching on BLS has an effect on improving the knowledge and skills in BLS. The two variables age (standardized β = 0.236, P = 0.018) and pre-test scores (standardized β = 0.450, P < 0.001) significantly predicted post-test scores.
Conclusion: Simulation-based BLS training has an impact on improving the knowledge and skills of the medical students in providing BLS in cardiac arrest.
Key words: Basic Life Support; Medical Education; Medical Students
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