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

NCT02059395 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: Mastery of BLS
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 49
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Basic Life Support; Cardiac Arrest

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Skill Retention Estimated From the Change of AHA Heartsaver Total Score From Immediate Post-test to Retention Test

  The official AHA Heartsave adult CPR AED Skill Sheet checklist for single-rescuer BLS was used to capture participants' skills for single-rescuer BLS and defibrillation with an AED. The AHA Heartsaver checklist has 11 action items, participant receives 1 point when an action on the checklist is performed. Therefore, the total score range from 0-11, with higher values represent a better outcome. Immediate post-test and retention test skill performance were evaluated by 2 independent raters. Skill retention was estimated by calculating the change in score from immediate post-test to retention test.

  Baseline and 4 months

Study Arms (2)

Time based

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants follow the traditional Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation Heartsaver Course

Other: Time based learning

Mastery based

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants do follow the content of the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation Heartsaver Course content based on their own pace (timeframe)

Other: Mastery based learning

Interventions

Mastery based learning OTHER

Participants are allowed to follow the course content at their own speed

Mastery based

Time based learning OTHER

Participants follow the traditional Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation Heartsaver Course according to the official course layout

Time based

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• University students in Ottawa

You may not qualify if:

• Students of the Faculty of Medicine
• Previous Basic Life Support Training Certificate

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ottawa Hospital Research Institute: lead

Study Sites (1)

The University of Ottawa Skills and Simulation Centre

Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4E9, Canada

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Heart Arrest

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Heart Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr. Sylvain Boet
• Organization: The Ottawa Hospital

sboet@toh.on.ca

6137985555

Study Officials

• Sylvain Boet, MD

  Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 7, 2014
• First Posted: February 11, 2014
• Study Start: November 1, 2013
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2014
• Study Completion: September 24, 2015
• Last Updated: January 30, 2018
• Results First Posted: January 30, 2018

Record last verified: 2017-03

Locations

CA (1)