Transitioning to Web-Based Learning in Basic Life Support Training During the COVID-19 Pandemic to Battle the Fear of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Presentation of Novel Methods

Abstract

Ongoing training in the area of basic life support aims to encourage and sustain the willingness to act in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest situations among first aiders. The contribution of witnesses and first aiders has diminished rapidly, as suspicion associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has risen. In this paper, we present teaching methods from the medical education field to create a new teaching-learning process for sustaining the prehospital involvement of first aiders and encourage new first aiders. The most important benefit-improving outcomes-can be achieved by introducing a variety of teaching-learning methods and formative assessments that provide participants with immediate feedback to help them move forward in the basic life support course. The new reality of web-based learning that has been introduced by the pandemic requires an innovative approach to traditional training that involves techniques and methods that have been proven to be useful in other fields.

Keywords: COVID-19; basic life support; first aid; formative; formative assessment; life support; medical education; out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; outcome; transition; web-based education; web-based learning; web-based training.