Factors Affecting the Participants' Skills Test Performance in a Basic Life Support Course.

Abstract

To determine the effect of age, gender, varying specialties and year of residency on the practical skills of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in participants of basic life support (BLS) courses run at College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP), Islamabad - Regional Centre of American Heart Association (AHA). Cross-sectional study. College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP), Islamabad - Regional Centre of American Heart Association (AHA), from February 2013 to November 2016. A total of 269 candidates participating in BLS courses were included in the study. Their age, gender, specialty, year of training and status (trainee or supervisor) were recorded. Results of practical skills were collected and data were compiled using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17, to determine the factors affecting the outcome of BLS skills test. Junior residents performed better than the senior residents in their practical skills, while other factors including age, gender and specialty did not significantly alter the outcome of BLS skills performance. Better performance of junior residents compared to their senior counterparts implies that BLS training should be introduced at the beginning of the resident programme when residents are fresh into their training followed by refresher courses. Age, gender or specialty does not affect the performance of doctors' practical skills of BLS.