Emily Oliver

Can first aid training encourage individuals’ propensity to act in an emergency situation? A pilot study

Objective To explore the effect that different activities included in first aid training can have on an individuals propensity to act in a medical emergency. Design Additional pilot-developed activities were added to a core first aid training session to create six unique groups, including a control group where no activities were added. Participants rated their agreement to pre-identified fears following the course and scored their self-efficacy and willingness to act before, immediately after and 2 months after the course. Change values were compared between groups. Setting Three locations in the UK (community halls, schools). Participants 554 members of the public were recruited using advertising and community groups. A deliberately broad demographic was sought and achieved using targeted approaches where a particular demographic was deficient. Intervention Each participant attended one British Red Cross first aid course lasting 2 h. Main outcome measures The same questionnaire was completed by all participants before and after each course. Two months later all participants were asked a series of follow-up questions. Results All courses showed an increase in self-efficacy and willingness to act immediately following the course. The course, which included both factual information relevant to helping in an emergency and ‘helper’ identity activities, produced significantly more positive responses to pre-identified fears. Conclusions Activities which allow the learner to explore and discuss behaviour in an emergency situation can effectively increase the learners propensity to act. First aid education should be expanded to support the learner to develop both the skill and the will to help.

Improving individuals’ propensity to act in a medical emergency: A quasi-randomised trial to test the impact of a learning intervention:

Objective: To build the evidence base for first aid education by testing the hypothesis that learners will be more confident and willing to act in an emergency if their first aid education has attempted to break down perceived barriers to helping. Design: Additional activities were appended to and delivered alongside a control curriculum consisting of the Canadian Red Cross’ Emergency First Aid training for adult learners. Both control and test learners completed questionnaires before, immediately after and at 6 months following their training. Setting: Four Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Participants: A total of 199 adult participants elected to take part in the first aid training and were randomised into test and control groups. Methods: Following first aid training lasting 6.5–8 hours, we assessed learners’ self-rated confidence/self-efficacy, willingness to act and changes in pre-identified fears and attitudes. Results: Learners from both control and test courses showed a positive change in self-efficacy and willingness to act although there was no statistically significant difference between control and test groups. The test course had a statistically significantly higher percentage of learners who were more aware of the bystander effect post learning. There was significant heterogeneity in learner outcomes which varied by Canadian province. Conclusion: First aid education can increase the propensity of learners to act. Although the additional activities provided in this study did not make a statistically significant difference to confidence and willingness to act, they may increase awareness of helping behaviours. Heterogeneity between Canadian provinces may link to differing provincial laws which protect lay people who try to help in an emergency.

Empowering lay bystanders to respond to medical emergencies

Grundlingh et al’s reference to the critical role of bystanders after an acid attack brings into sharp focus the need for fast and effective action from the first person on the scene at a medical emergency.1 Like many effective first aid interventions, the actions described are based on evidence and focused on outcomes …