Two hundred and thirteen medicine students were randomly assigned to a VG, a VFG and a CG. The VG refreshed the skills with a practice-while-watching video (abbreviated Mini Anne? video, Laerdal, Norway) and a manikin, the VFG with a computer-guided manikin (Resusci Anne Skills Station?, Laerdal, Norway) and the CG with a serial combination of both. Each student performed two sequences of 60 compressions, 12 ventilations and three complete cycles of BLS (30:2). The proportions of students achieving adequate skills were analysed using generalised estimating equations analysis, taking into account pre-test results and training strategy.
Complete datasets were obtained from 192 students (60 VG, 69 VFG and 63 CG). Before and after training, ¡Ý70 % of compressions with depth ¡Ý50 mm were achieved by 14/60 (23 % ) vs. 16/60 (27 % ) VG, 24/69 (35 % ) vs. 50/69 (73 % ) VFG and 19/63 (30 % ) vs. 41/63 (65 % ) CG (P < 0.001). Compression rate 100-120/min was present in 27/60 (45 % ) vs. 52/60 (87 % ) VG, 28/69 (41 % ) vs. 44/69 (64 % ) VFG and 27/63 (43 % ) vs. 42/63 (67 % ) CG (P = 0.05). Achievement of ¡Ý70 % ventilations with a volume 400-1000 ml was present in 29/60 (49 % ) vs. 32/60 (53 % ) VG, 32/69 (46 % ) vs. 52/69 (75 % ) VFG and 25/63 (40 % ) vs. 51/63 (81 % ) CG (P = 0.001). There was no between-groups difference for complete release.
Voice feedback and a sequential combination of video and voice feedback are both effective strategies to refresh BLS skills in a SL station. Video training alone only improved compression rate. None of the three strategies resulted in an improvement of complete release.