Medical Students Knowledge and Practices Related to Basic Life Support

Aim of Study: To assess final year medical students knowledge related to Basic Life Support (BLS).Subjects and Methods: This study comprised 125 final year medical students at King Khalid University during the academic year 1436-1437H (2015-2016 G). A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection.Results: About one fourth of participants (28%) attended a training course on BLS. Knowledge of more than half of medical students (51%) about BLS was poor, the knowledge level of 44% of students was fair, while the level of knowledge of only 5% of students was good. Most medical students (80.8%) expressed their self-confidence to save a case of cardiac arrest. Almost one fourth of participants (23.2%) practiced CPR. About one third of participants (36.8%) saved a choked victim. Medical students who attended a training course on BLS had significantly better knowledge grades about BLS than those who did not (p=0.009). Medical students knowledge grades about BLS was significantly better among students who previously saved a cardiac arrest case (p=0.002) or a choked victim (p=0.02).Conclusions: BLS-related knowledge of most final-year medical students at King Khalid University is suboptimal. Most students do not attend any training courses on BLS. Nevertheless, most of them are self-confident regarding performing CPR. Students who attend a training course on BLS or practice it are significantly more knowledgeable than those who do not. Therefore, knowledge and skills related to BLS should be enforced through being included into the undergraduate medical curriculum.