To explore the feasibility of using student nurses as teachers of basic life support to school children

Pre-registration nursing requires students to critically evaluate and reflect upon own and others learning and teaching skills (Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2010). As nurse educators, we are exploring innovative approaches to improve both student nurses' experience and their fitness for practice. This study explores the viability of student nurses as teachers of ‘basic life support’ (BLS) in local schools and to ascertain the value of such an initiative. We know the United Kingdom currently has reduced input from bystanders in cardiac arrest situations compared to most other European countries and improving survival rates is a major priority. Evidenced based interventions such as recognition, calling for help and initiating cardiac compressions are known to improve survival if implemented by bystanders at the scene before emergency help arrives. This
initiative will add strength to this national campaign to improve the survival rate following cardiac arrest in the community. This project involved four student nurses working as academic partners with lecturers to teach basic life support to a class of 30 primary school children aged between 9 and 10 years of age. Initial evaluations from all participants are positive and the authors are optimistic that a successful feasibility study could embed this initiative into the school curriculum and go some way to creating a future generation who are desensitized to the extreme situation of finding a collapsed individual who needs help.