Professionalizing peer instructor skills in basic life support training for medical students: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: The Radboud university medical center designed an obligatory basic life support and first-aid course for first-year medical students. Objectives: We evaluated the value of an additional train-the-trainer course following European Resuscitation Council guidelines, which focuses on practical basic life support training and providing feedback, in comparison with standard in-service instructor training. Methods: This study was a prospective randomized controlled trial. A total of 10 intervention instructors, 14 control instructors, and 337 first-year medical students participated in the study. Students, blinded for the type of instructor, completed questionnaires evaluating the quality of the basic life support training (theoretical and practical) and provided feedback. The secondary endpoint was the basic life support examination to assess whether the instructors’ training influenced the quality of the participants’ basic life support. Results: The response rate of the questionnaire was 82% on average. No differences were found between intervention and control group concerning theoretical basic life support training. The intervention instructors scored significantly higher on practical basic life support training according to student evaluations (p < 0.001). The pass rate on basic life support examinations did not differ significantly (p = 0.669). Appreciation of given feedback was independent of instructors’ educational training. Conclusion: This study is the first to establish that the 12-h train-the-trainer course following European Resuscitation Council guidelines improves students’ appreciation of practical basic life support training. The additional course did not influence appreciation of theoretical basic life support training or perceived feedback.