• Lone D Vestergaard, Bo Løfgren, Casper L Jessen, Christina B Petersen, Anne Wolff, Henrik V Nielsen, and Niels H V Krarup.
• aDepartment of Cardiology bResearch Center for Emergency Medicine cDepartment of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus dDepartment of Cardiology, Vejle Hospital, Vejle eDepartment of Internal Medicine, Regional Hospital of Randers, Randers fGeneral Practice, Mølledamsgade 1, Silkeborg gDepartment of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark hDepartment of Anaesthesiology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.
• Eur J Emerg Med. 2015 Jul 14.

ObjectivePediatric cardiac arrest carries a poor prognosis. Basic life support improves survival. Studies on pediatric basic life support (PBLS) training are sparse. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of self-training in PBLS.Participants And MethodsWe conducted a prospective controlled trial enrolling nurses from pediatric and maternity wards (n=29 in each group). Self-training, including a manikin and access to a web-based video on PBLS, was compared with a 2-h instructor-led course. Two weeks after training, all participants were tested in a mock scenario of pediatric cardiac arrest. Fifteen parameters equivalent to the steps in the PBLS algorithm - for example, effective ventilations, effective chest compressions, calling for help, and correct sequence of actions, were evaluated and rated dichotomously (1=approved or 0=not approved).ResultsNo difference was observed in the baseline demographics between the self-training group and the instructor-led group. The participants in the self-training group accessed the website 2±1.5 times (mean±SD) and spent 41±25 min on the site. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the overall average score (10.5 in the self-training group vs. 10.0 in the instructor-led group, P=0.51) or in any of the 15 parameters. After the study, all participants felt that they had improved their skills and felt capable of performing PBLS.ConclusionSelf-training is not statistically different to instructor-led training in teaching PBLS. Self-evaluated confidence improved, but showed no difference between groups. PBLS may be disseminated through self-training.

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