Impact of additional module training on the level of basic life support knowledge of first year students at the University of Maribor

A total of 439 students in three separate groups were tested: those with no prior BLS training; BLS training in high school (part of the driver's education course); and BLS training in high school (in the driver's education course) and additional BLS training at the university.Our study showed the best results of BLS education in a group of university students who took an additional BLS module approximately half a year after the driver's education BLS course. In our study we observed equal levels of knowledge between the group with BLS training in high school and the group without any formal BLS education. The questionnaire revealed a disappointing level of knowledge about BLS in both groups.Additional basic life support training (two BLS training sessions: high school and university) improves retention of knowledge and attitudes concerning performing CPR in first year university students.Recent studies have emphasized that bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a very important contributing factor in the survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients [1-10]. The practice of basic life support (BLS) by lay people is therefore essential for sufficient functioning of the chain of survival and is definitely an important part of effective emergency services for a patient needing resuscitation [11]. However, lay people can only play their role within the chain of survival if they are adequately trained and if continuous repetitions of relevant training information are offered and used [12]. Introducing CPR training in high school and university settings has been widely recommended as a long-term strategy to educate the wider community. In general, students have poor theoretical knowledge, although most of them are willing and motivated to learn CPR [12-17]. A pyramidal teaching approach involving students who had BLS training shows potential for spreading BLS knowledge to lay people [18]. In a previous study we confirmed that the potential bystander