摘要:Introduction: Basic life support (BLS) withcardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) provided atthe right time greatly improves survival followingcardiac arrest. Adequate knowledge and skillsrelated to BLS are essential requisites for medicalstudents. This study aimed to explore theknowledge, attitudes, and practices related to BLSamong undergraduate medical students of a medicalcollege in Tamil Nadu, India.Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive,cross-sectional study conducted among 241undergraduate medical students of a medicalcollege in Tamil Nadu, between May and July2012, using a pretested, semi-structuredquestionnaire devised based on American HeartAssociation Guidelines for BLS and CPR 2010.Results: The mean knowledge score of theparticipants was 4.55 ± 1.21 out of a possible highscore of 6. The level of knowledge and attitudesrelated to BLS varied depending on the year ofstudy, and this difference was statisticallysignificant (p<0.05). The knowledge scoredecreased with increasing duration of training. Thehigher the year of study, the more positive theparticipants’ attitudes were. Only 12.9% of theparticipants had ever practised BLS. Twenty-one(21) participants (8.7%) expressed reluctance aboutperforming BLS in a hospital setting, and 57.3% ofthe participants expressed reluctance aboutperforming BLS in an out-of-hospital setting. Fearof acquiring infection, causing harm to the victim,and lack of confidence were the common causes forparticipants’ reluctance.Conclusions: The study reveals inadequateknowledge and practices related to BLS amongstudents. The differences in knowledge andattitudes among students, depending on the year ofstudy, point to the need for frequent refreshertraining and motivation of students.
关键词:Basic life support (BLS);Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); Knowledge;attitude; practices (KAP); medical students