Basic resuscitation--knowledge and skills of full-time medical practitioners at public hospitals in northern province.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the level of knowledge and skill in basic resuscitation among medical practitioners and to determine the differences in characteristics between those with and those without knowledge and skills.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Public hospitals in Northern Province.


METHODS
All the doctors in full-time employment, except interns and those in full-time administration.


METHODS
Practice on manikins using structured interview/evaluation sheet.


RESULTS
Of 152 participants, 7 (4.6%) scored 80% and above and 37 (24.3%) scored 50% and above. The medical practitioners who performed better were younger and more likely to have received undergraduate and postgraduate resuscitation training, and resuscitation training within the last 2 years. The country of qualification, sex, postgraduate qualification, frequency of continuing medical education and past experience of resuscitating cardiac arrest patients were not associated with a performance on the evaluation.


CONCLUSIONS
Medical practitioner skills and knowledge of basic resuscitation were poor and resuscitation experience without training was not found to be beneficial. It is therefore recommended that formal training in resuscitation be mandatory at undergraduate and postgraduate level, with refresher courses held every 2 years.
Ragavan
S
S
Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Southern Africa, Medunsa.
Schneider
H
H
Kloeck
W G
WG
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008348:Manikins; D010820:Physicians; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D013019:South Africa