Knowledge about adult basic life support (BLS) among interns completing internship and first year MBBS students who underwent BLS training during foundation course - An observational study from a tertiary health care centre

Abstract

To assess and compare the knowledge about adult basic resuscitation amongst interns completing their internship and 1 year MBBS students who underwent three day hands on training in BLS during their foundation course. It’s a cross-sectional observational study using a questionnaire comprising of 19 questions to assess the knowledge of BLS among interns completing their internship and 1 year MBBS students who underwent BLS training during their foundation course. Majority of the medical students knew that BLS can be performed both outside and inside the hospital settings. (96.1% vs 77%, P =0.001) Knowledge about BLS was poor amongst both the groups. 40 interns (55.4%) had scored ≥ 60% whereas 65 medical students (63.5%) had scored ≥60%. (P value 0.21) indicating comparable knowledge about BLS amongst both the group. Self-grading of knowledge about BLS was better amongst medical students (P=0.001). 37. 8% of interns and 21.6% of medical students had expanded the terminology AED correctly indicating poor knowledge about defibrillation and defibrillator amongst both the group. Difference was not significant (p = 0.220) Also medical students knowledge about Heimlich maneuver was poor (52% compared to 70.3% amongst interns) indicating the poor retention of knowledge amongst medical students. Knowledge about BLS among medical students who underwent training during foundation course was same like that of interns who studied the earlier curriculum and was poor, hence needs inclusion of periodic revision of the knowledge about BLS in the curriculum.