Retention of Basic Life Support in Laypeople: Mastery Learning vs. Time-based Education

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Basic Life Support (BLS) training is crucial for laypeople to improve immediate response during emergencies.
• Traditional time-based (TB) BLS courses may not optimize knowledge and skill acquisition or long-term retention.
• Mastery learning (ML), an alternative educational strategy, aims to ensure proficiency before progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of mastery learning (ML) versus time-based (TB) BLS courses.
• To evaluate the acquisition and four-month retention of BLS knowledge and skills in lay participants.
• To determine if ML offers advantages over TB training for lay rescuers.

Main Methods:

• Lay participants were randomized into either a ML or a TB BLS course, based on the AHA Heartsaver curriculum.
• The ML group practiced skills until a predefined performance level was achieved, while the TB group followed a standard curriculum.
• Knowledge and skills were assessed immediately post-course and after four months using high-fidelity scenarios and questionnaires.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in primary outcome performance was observed between ML and TB groups at four months.
• Knowledge acquisition occurred in both groups, with partial retention at four months, but showed a decrease from immediate post-test.
• Chest compression depth improved significantly in both groups after four months, but compression rate did not change significantly.

Conclusions:

• Mastery learning (ML) did not demonstrate a significant advantage over time-based (TB) BLS courses for laypeople regarding knowledge or skill acquisition and retention.
• Both training modalities resulted in similar outcomes, with a notable decline in skills between immediate and delayed testing.
• Further research may be needed to optimize BLS training for long-term skill retention in lay populations.