Effect of a Structured Nurse-Led Training Programme on Teachers’ Practical Competence in Basic Lifesaving Skills in Nigerian Secondary Schools (Published)
Basic Lifesaving Skills (BLSS) are critical emergency response procedures required to sustain life during cardiac arrest, choking, respiratory failure, and sudden collapse before advanced care is available. Despite global recommendations that teachers should be trained as first responders in school settings, evidence shows that many lack adequate practical BLSS competence. This study evaluated the effect of a structured nurse-led intervention on the practice of BLSS among secondary school teachers in selected government secondary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design was adopted. Ninety-two teachers who met eligibility criteria were selected through multistage sampling and assigned to intervention and control groups by educational zones. The intervention group received a nurse-led BLSS training programme consisting of a two-day intensive session followed by repeated supervised practical demonstrations over ten weeks, while the control group received no training during the study period. Practical BLSS performance was assessed using a validated skills checklist (reliability = 0.87). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANCOVA at a 5% significance level. Results showed a significant main effect of nurse-led intervention on BLSS practice (F (1,91) =8.87, p<.05, partial η²=0.097). Gender differences were small, though a modest treatment–gender interaction was significant. The study concludes that nurse-led, practice-focused BLSS training significantly improves teachers’ emergency response competence in school settings.
Keywords: Teachers, basic lifesaving skills, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, nurse-led intervention, school emergency preparedness