Mastery Learning Versus Time-based Education: Skill Acquisition and Retention of Basic Life Support in Laypeople

Background: In cardiac arrest survival rates dramatically increase when bystanders are present and initiate Basic Life Support (BLS). However, even though serious efforts have been made, skill retention after a traditional time-based BLS course for laypeople remains suboptimal. In contrast, a mastery learning-based educational approach was shown to be efficacious and might be promising even for laypersons. Therefore the investigators aim to evaluate the impact of a mastery learning-based BLS course on skills retention of BLS in laypeople. Methods: Forty laypeople without previous BLS experiences will be randomized into the traditional time-based BLS course group (Control - TB group) or mastery learning-based group (Intervention - ML group). Both groups will receive BLS training consisting of 6 successive stations including diagnosis of cardiac arrest, chest compression, ventilation, one-rescuer BLS, two-rescuer BLS and AED use. In the ML group, subjects will deliberately practice and receive feedback at each station until a pre-set target level is reached. Subjects will be allowed to proceed to the next station only when they achieve the required target level of performance. In contrast, participants of the TB group will be taught the same 6 stations in two hours, according to standard American Heart Association BLS criteria. All subjects will have an assessment of knowledge and skills immediately after teaching (immediate post-test) and at four months (retention post-test). Implications: Previous research has shown that mastery learning-based education improves learners' procedural skill performance. The investigators study will determine the impact of a mastery learning-based BLS course on skill retention in laypeople.