Retention of CPR skills and the effect of instructor expertise one year following reciprocal learning

Although Basic Life Support (BLS) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) education is mandatory in secondary schools in Flanders, many schools do not programme this content because they lack teachers with expertise in this matter. This study aimed at investigating CPR skill performance and skill decay following reciprocal learning with task cards taught by an expert versus a non-expert teacher. Teacher expertise was asserted by European Resuscitation Council (ERC) certification. Skill performance and skill decay of Pedagogy students' CPR performance was assessed 3 weeks and 12 months following reciprocal learning by an expert teacher versus a non-expert teacher. Students taught by the expert demonstrated significantly higher chest compression rates, although this observation was not clinically relevant. No clinically relevant skill decay was detected. Instructors with no certification and expertise in BLS can achieve equal learning outcomes as certified instructors when applying reciprocal learning with task cards. The model seems resistant for skill decay since no clinical deterioration of skill was found after 12 months.