title: Evaluation of nurses' theoretical knowledge in Basic Life Support: a study in a district Greek hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nurses are usually the first-responders in cases of in-hospital cardiac arrest. Their competence in Basic Life Support (BLS) is important in improving patient outcome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nurses' BLS knowledge in a small district hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was collected by an anonymous questionnaire, distributed to all nursing personnel in this hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The failure rate of the BLS theoretical questionnaire was 84%. Regarding self-assessment 10.3% of the participants rated their BLS knowledge as very good, whereas 31.2%, 44.2% and 14.3% of them rated it as good, moderate or not good respectively. This self-assessment did not correlate significantly with the final performance in the written test. No difference regarding the performance in the written test was observed between nurses who had participated in a refresher BLS course after graduation and those who had not. The nurses without any previous personal experience in the BLS had a higher probability to pass the written test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate a low level of BLS knowledge among the study participants. Having an occasional refresher BLS course, or prior experience in BLS, does not affect the level of knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Athens, Medical School, Greece. theodorosxanthos@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xanthos
authors.forename: Aggeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akrivopoulou
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pantazopoulos
authors.forename: Fillipia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aroni
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Datsis
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iacovidou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000451:nursing*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires