Basic life support in 9th grade: Motivating students to inteBonitorvene in the community

Abstract

In the presence of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed by bystanders is more effective than any other therapeutic intervention. The high-quality training of bystanders in CPR is currently recommended globally, due to the confidence and proficiency it promotes in performing OHCA. In Portugal, in the 2015-2016 school year, the teaching of basic life support (BLS) begins in the Natural Sciences subject of the 9th grade, an innovation that arises in the wake of the indications issued by the European Resuscitation Council. The present study aimed to know the factors that contribute to the intervention in OHCA. This is a descriptive, crosssectional and analytical survey-type study. It was developed with a representative sample of 1215 10th grade students to which an original questionnaire was applied. The results reveal that these students' motivation to intervene is high. It appears that males are more motivated to intervene. Students are sensitive to the topic and interested and available to learn. They recognize the importance of the theme and its social relevance. Motivation to intervene varies in direct proportion to students' perceptions of their practical training received and perceptions of skills acquisition, and inversely to theoretical knowledge. It is concluded that it is necessary to invest in increasing the skills of students in BLS, so that they feel motivated and confident to intervene in a OHCA.