Assessment of the knowledge of basic first aid of acute poisoning among medical students at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, KSA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background In a poison emergency, responders should assess the condition and begin treatment immediately. Training general practitioners in clinical toxicology can help manage patients with acute poisoning cost-effectively. Aim Assessment of Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University (IAU) medical students’ knowledge of dealing with toxicological emergencies. Methods This is a cross-sectional study carried out from December 2022 to February 2023 at IAU, KSA. Results 201 undergraduate medical students participated: 20.4% fourth graders, 30.8% fifth graders, 32.3% sixth graders, and 16.4% interns. 79.1% attended a first aid training program, and 19.9% received emergency department (ED) training in managing acute poisoning. Most students have moderate knowledge of risk assessment (70.6%), as indicated by correct answers about importance of patient characteristics, type of poison, psychological background, time, and type of exposure. Incorrectly answering about source of information and reliance on drug-level screening. Participants demonstrated moderate knowledge (53.7%) of the initial management of poisoned patients, which is recognized by correct answers about maintaining an adequate airway, breathing, and circulation, meaning and mechanism of decontamination, indication and time of gastric lavage, and action of activated charcoal. Correctly disagree with the priority of induction of vomiting and offering gastric lavage to all patients. Recognize the meaning of corrosive poisoning but incorrectly respond to methods of its treatment while correctly agreeing about the appropriateness of oral liquid administration. Incorrectly respond to the availability of an antidote for every toxicity. Advancements in student education, first aid training, and ED training insignificantly impacted knowledge of risk assessment while significantly improving knowledge of the initial management of acute poisoning. Conclusion Most participating students had suboptimal knowledge of risk assessment and management of toxicological emergencies. Education levels, first aid training, and ED training, while improved knowledge of initial management, have a low impact on knowledge of risk assessment of acutely poisoned cases.