The aim of the study was to test the effectiveness of the peer education method on the learning and application of Basic Life Support (BLS) in high school students and to test the effectiveness of the peer education model on the BLS instructor training.

High school grade one students were included in the study. Students were divided in two groups (Group A and Group B). Peer instructors who were trained by health professionals trained students in Group A. Peer instructors who were trained by their peers trained students in Group B. Pre- and post-training awareness and knowledge tests were applied to measure the awareness and knowledge of all students. Students’ success in applying BLS steps was evaluated by a practical exam that was coordinated by physicians using a checklist.

Result of the pre-post training awareness questionnaire, pre-post training knowledge tests, and practical exam indicated that instructors trained by their peers were as effective as the instructors trained by medical physicians in terms of giving BLS training to high school students. In the 16-step BLS application competence evaluation, the students in Group A applied BLS with a success rate of 90.2% and in Group B with a success rate of 93.4%.

In the current study, it was shown that the peer education model is effective in BLS training and BLS instructor training in high school students. This novel method of peer education gives an opportunity to overcome the stated shortage in the budget and in trained instructors.

This study attempted to determine the extent of training and emergency care knowledge of public school teachers in midwestern states. A secondary purpose was to assess the frequency of injury and illness in the school setting requiring the teacher to first respond.

A questionnaire and 14-item, scenario-based, emergency medical care test was developed and pretested. A discrimination index was used for validation of the instrument and a reliability coefficient of .82 was computed using the Kuder-Richardson Formula 20. A randomly recruited group of public school nurses from Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri administered the instrument to 334 teachers who had no prior knowledge of the test. A random telephone survey of local school patrons also was completed to determine parental assumptions and expectations for emergency care and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in teachers.

One-third (112 teachers) had no specific training in first-aid and 40% never had been trained in CPR. However, most (87%) of the respondents strongly agreed that emergency care training should be required in teacher preparation programs. Eighteen percent of the teachers responded to more than 20 injured or ill students annually, and 17% reported that they had encountered at least one life-threatening emergency in a student during their career. The average score for all respondents on the emergency care test was 58% (X2 = 8.12±2.42). Those with prior first-aid training averaged 60.5% (X2 = 8.47±2.32). Significant deficiencies were noted for recognition and appropriate treatment of student emergencies involving basic life support (BLS) and airway interventions, diabetic emergencies, and treatment of profuse bleeding. Forty of the 50 (80%) parents surveyed assumed that all teachers were adequately trained in first-aid and CPR.

Public school teachers represent a potentially effective first-response component during disasters and isolated emergencies in the school environment. Overall, most of public school teachers in this study were deficient in both training and knowledge of emergency care and BLS modalities. Lack of effective, formal emergency care training in teacher preparation programs coupled with no continuing education requirement is a possible explanation of these results. Emergency medical services providers should seek opportunities to help with first-responder training and continuing education in their schools.