Knowledge of basic life support among Medical and Dental students: A comparative study

Abstract

Basic life support (BLS) is the medical procedures and skills which are used to save the victim from life-threatening emergencies until medical care is provided at the hospital. BLS procedures include cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), bleeding control, artificial ventilation and basic airway management. Fatal medical emergencies may occur at any time. However, there are no set standards introduced in India to date. These life-saving maneuvers can be given through the structured resuscitation programs, which are lacking in the academic curriculum. The present study assessed the level of awareness toward basic life support (BLS) among medical and dental students. A cross-sectional study was carried out among dental and medical students in 2019. The study participants were people of the age group between 18-25 years. A convenient sample size of 250 was studied. A total of 250 subjects of age groups 18-25 years were analyzed in the study. The majority of students were not aware of BLS, with medical students fairing slightly better than dental students. The present study demonstrates poor knowledge among medical and dental students regarding BLS and showed the urgent need for continuous refreshing courses for this critical topic. Keywords: Knowledge; basic life support; medical students; dental students