Confidence vs competence: basic life support skills of health professionals. 2007

Nick Castle, and Helen Garton, and Gary Kenward
Frimley Park Foundation Trust, Camberley, and Durban Institute of Technology, RSA.

The provision of prompt effective resuscitation is fundamental in ensuring successful outcomes following cardiac arrest but historically nurses and doctors have lacked competence in performing basic life support (BLS), despite being confident in their abilities. The object of this study was to assess BLS confidence as assessed against competence of doctors' in-training, qualified nurses and healthcare assistants (HCAs) following the development of structured resuscitation training. This study has highlighted that the introduction of a structured resuscitation training programme has resulted in a noticeable improvement in BLS skills, particularly with regard to doctors. Registered nurses have improved with regular training compared with previously published data but HCAs tend to perform poorly and are under-confident. There remains a mismatch between confidence and competence, with only doctors demonstrating both confidence and competency and therefore changes to training programmes may be required to address this mismatch.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007318 Inservice Training On the job training programs for personnel carried out within an institution or agency. It includes orientation programs. Employee Orientation Programs,Orientation Programs, Employee,On-the-Job Training,Training, Inservice,Employee Orientation Program,On the Job Training,Orientation Program, Employee,Program, Employee Orientation,Programs, Employee Orientation,Training, On-the-Job
D007722 Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Knowledge, attitudes, and associated behaviors which pertain to health-related topics such as PATHOLOGIC PROCESSES or diseases, their prevention, and treatment. This term refers to non-health workers and health workers (HEALTH PERSONNEL). Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
D008020 Life Support Care Care provided patients requiring extraordinary therapeutic measures in order to sustain and prolong life. Extraordinary Treatment,Prolongation of Life,Care, Life Support,Extraordinary Treatments,Life Prolongation,Treatment, Extraordinary,Treatments, Extraordinary
D008505 Medical Staff, Hospital Professional medical personnel approved to provide care to patients in a hospital. Attending Physicians, Hospital,Hospital Medical Staff,Physicians, Junior,Registrars, Hospital,Attending Physician, Hospital,Hospital Attending Physician,Hospital Attending Physicians,Hospital Medical Staffs,Medical Staffs, Hospital,Hospital Registrar,Hospital Registrars,Junior Physician,Junior Physicians,Physician, Junior,Registrar, Hospital,Staff, Hospital Medical,Staffs, Hospital Medical
D009728 Nursing Assistants Nurse Aide,Nurses' Aides,Nursing Auxiliaries,Aide, Nurse,Aides, Nurse,Aides, Nurses',Assistant, Nursing,Assistants, Nursing,Auxiliaries, Nursing,Auxiliary, Nursing,Nurse Aides,Nurse's Aides,Nurses Aides,Nurses' Aide,Nursing Assistant,Nursing Auxiliary
D009741 Nursing Staff, Hospital Personnel who provide nursing service to patients in a hospital. Hospital Nursing Staff,Hospital Nursing Staffs,Nursing Staffs, Hospital,Staff, Hospital Nursing,Staffs, Hospital Nursing
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D002983 Clinical Competence The capability to perform acceptably those duties directly related to patient care. Clinical Skills,Competence, Clinical,Clinical Competency,Clinical Skill,Competency, Clinical,Skill, Clinical,Skills, Clinical,Clinical Competencies,Competencies, Clinical
D004650 Employee Performance Appraisal The assessment of the functioning of an employee in relation to work. Nurses Performance Evaluation,Performance Appraisal, Employee,Family Planning Personnel Evaluation,Appraisal, Employee Performance,Appraisals, Employee Performance,Employee Performance Appraisals,Evaluation, Nurses Performance,Evaluations, Nurses Performance,Nurses Performance Evaluations,Performance Appraisals, Employee,Performance Evaluation, Nurses,Performance Evaluations, Nurses
D004739 England A part of Great Britain within the United Kingdom.

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