Basic Life Support awareness among resident doctors, medical students, nursing experts, health care providers, and their assistants in Southwest Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Knowing the basic life support (BLS) technique is an essential requirement for all individuals of a community in order to save lives in an emergency. The awareness level about the proper techniques of BLS is questionable among medical personnel. Aim of the research: This prospective observational study was conducted to assess the awareness level of the basic resuscitation principles in Southwest Iran. Material and methods: The aspects that were asked in this questionnaire include the following items: the basic resuscitation stages, and methods of assessment and resuscitation with regard to airway, respiration, and blood circulation in the victims according to age group. Results: In total, 202 people employed in the hospital participated in this study. The mean scores of those who had already completed BLS education was 8.45 ±2.42 and in the individuals who had heard about these technique it was 7.31 ±2.71 (p = 0.002). This relation was statistically significant. The knowledge of specialised assistants was significantly higher than health care providers and their assistants as well as medical intern groups (p < 0.001). In addition, the knowledge of nursing experts was significantly higher than the health care providers and their assistants (p = 0.004) and medical interns (p = 0.002). Conclusions: This study showed that the awareness level of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation principles among different health care departments (health care providers, nurses, and physicians) is low, and holding education courses with a minimum of 6-month intervals is necessary. In addition, for medical interns, basic medical education should start from basic medical sciences.