Elsevier

Resuscitation

Volume 80, Issue 6, June 2009, Pages 689-692
Resuscitation

Simulation and education paper
Primary school children are able to perform basic life-saving first aid measures

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2009.03.012Get rights and content

Abstract

Introduction

First aid measures can be life-saving. Starting first aid education early may strengthen interest, motivation and ability to provide first aid.

Objective

To determine if a first aid teaching program including 5 lessons (45 min each) of theoretical and practical training for 6–7-year-old children can influence their performance in a first aid scenario.

Methods

228 primary school children at the age of 6–7 years were included in the study, 102 girls and 126 boys. One child was 5 years old. 117 children were taught basic first aid measures and 111 without training served as control group. In the test scenario the children had to provide first aid to an unconscious victim after a cycle accident. The course participants were retested after 6 months.

Results

Statistically significant differences between course participants compared to those without training could be shown for all tested subjects, including correct assessment of consciousness (p < 0.001), correct assessment of breathing (p < 0.001), knowledge of the correct emergency telephone number (p < 0.001), giving correct emergency call information (p < 0.001), knowledge of correct recovery position (p < 0.001), correct airway management (p < 0.001). Retesting after 6 months showed statistically significant differences for 5 of 6 tested items.

Conclusion

6–7-Year-old children can give basic first aid to an unconscious patient. A course with 5 lessons leads to a significant increase in first aid knowledge and skills. Knowledge retention is good after 6 months. All primary school children should receive first aid training starting in first grade.

Introduction

First aid given by lay persons is a crucial factor in saving lives. Eisenburger and Safar have recommended that life-supporting first aid (LSFA) should be part of basic health education1 and that “all fit lay persons above the age of 10” should learn LSFA-skills including basic life support (BLS) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). They have suggested a simplified content of what to teach including 6 items and the most important first aid measures as 4 simple actions: tilt, blow, pump and compress. A clear relationship has been shown between the level of first aid training and the quality of first aid measures provided.2 A young child can be the first person at the scene of an accident or medical emergency. If no adult person is around, children have to be able to call for help and to give first aid. It has been recommended to start teaching first aid in primary school.3 It has also been suggested that children aged 6–7-year old can save cardiac arrest victims.4 A calendar with first aid themes has been used to enhance first aid teaching by school teachers for pupils in first grade.5 After using the calendar 17% could check responsiveness, 64% established a recovery position, 31% opened the airways and 74% were able to call for help.

Aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a first aid course for 6–7-year-old school children given by first aid instructors of the Norwegian Red Cross on the children's performance in a simulated first aid scenario.

Section snippets

Materials and methods

Our hypothesis (H0) is that there is no difference in performance of 6–7-year-old children in a first aid scenario who underwent a first aid teaching program versus children without previous first aid training. Statistical comparison based on a difference in correct performance of 30% and 69 children in every group was estimated to have 90% power with a significance level of 1%. Because of an expected high number of drop-outs during the study period more than 200 children were included in the

Results

228 children were included in the study, 102 girls and 126 boys. One participant was 5 years (control group), 150 were 6 and 77 were 7 years old at the time the test was performed. 117 children got basic first aid training and 111 were in the control group. Results for the test are shown in Table 1 and Fig. 1, Fig. 2. All the 6 items tested showed large and statistically significant differences between children who had participated in the course compared to those without training: correct

Discussion

Teaching basic first aid in primary schools can be done by school teachers or certified first aid instructors. The present study shows that five lessons of first aid teaching by certified first aid instructors of the Norwegian Red Cross lead to significantly better performance of 6–7-year-old children in a first aid scenario with an unconscious patient. After using a calendar with first aid themes by school teachers for pupils in first grade 17% could check responsiveness, 64% established a

Conclusion

In conclusion the present study demonstrates that 6–7-year-old first graders can give basic first aid measures as checking responsiveness and breathing, call for help and give correct information to the emergency medical service and establish recovery position to an unconscious patient. A training course with 5 lessons (45 min each) once a week leads to significant better results for trained children in comparison with a control group of children without training. Knowledge and skill retention

Conflict of interest

The Red Cross provides training in first aid.

Acknowledgements

The authors want to thank the instructors from the Red Cross in Telemark who volunteered to participate in the study and who showed great commitment to teaching first aid to the public. We also would like to thank all children, their parents and teachers for participation in the study and their support.

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A Spanish translated version of the summary of this article appears as Appendix in the final online version at doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2009.03.012.

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