Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41555322›Full record

Trial reportBMC medical education2026

The efficacy of BLS training among fifth-year medical students-a randomized, assessor-blinded, parallel group trial.

Gábor Fritúz, Gergely Kovács, András Kállai, Tamás Nagy, Csaba Maár, Petra Szvath, Máté Berczi, Szabolcs Fábry, Dalma Skultéti, Zsolt Iványi and 2 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC medical education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Gábor FritúzDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Subdepartment of Clinical Simulation, Semmelweis University, Semmelweis University, P.O.B. 2, Budapest, H-1428, Hungary.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2075-792X
Gergely KovácsDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Semmelweis University, P.O.B. 2, Budapest, H-1428, Hungary.
András KállaiDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Semmelweis University, P.O.B. 2, Budapest, H-1428, Hungary.
Tamás NagyFaculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, P.O.B. 2, Budapest, H-1428, Hungary.
Csaba MaárDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Institute of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Patient Care Semmelweis University, P.O.B. 2, Budapest, H-1428, Hungary.
Petra SzvathDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Semmelweis University, P.O.B. 2, Budapest, H-1428, Hungary.
Máté BercziDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Semmelweis University, P.O.B. 2, Budapest, H-1428, Hungary.
Szabolcs FábryDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Institute of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Patient Care Semmelweis University, P.O.B. 2, Budapest, H-1428, Hungary.
Dalma SkultétiDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Semmelweis University, P.O.B. 2, Budapest, H-1428, Hungary.
Zsolt IványiNorth Buda Szt. János Centrum Hospital, Diós árok 1-3, Budapest, 1125, Hungary.
János GálDivision of Military, Disaster and Law Enforcement Medicine, Semmelweis University, P.O.B. 2, Budapest, H-1428, Hungary.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9160-6478
Enikő KovácsDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Semmelweis University, P.O.B. 2, Budapest, H-1428, Hungary. kovacs.eniko2@semmelweis.hu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2012-1136

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundProper basic life support (BLS) skills are crucial for laypeople and health care professionals to increase the survival of cardiac arrest patients. A practical examination at the end of a BLS course may be beneficial for prolonging skill retention. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of our BLS training and the effect of BLS practical examinations on skill retention among fifth-year medical students compared with the effect of additional practice and continuous assessment.

methodsIn this randomized, assessor-blinded, parallel group study, fifth-year medical students took a practical BLS examination ("practical examination" group) or participated in an additional 30-minute practice with continuous assessment ("additional practice" group) two weeks after a 90-minute intrahospital COVID-19 BLS training. BLS skill retention was assessed two weeks, two months and one year later, and the results of the two groups were compared. Fourteen elements of BLS were evaluated during the skill retention assessments. Descriptive statistics and Mann‒Whitney and Fisher's exact tests were used for statistical analysis.

resultsThirty-two voluntary students were included (practical examination: n = 17, additional practice: n = 15), with no significant differences in basic characteristics (age: p = 0.891; gender: p = 0.999; previous BLS education: p = 0.469; previous participation in BLS: p = 0.678; planning to work in emergency medicine or critical care: p = 0.471). BLS skills were satisfactory during all skill retention assessments, except for the application of protective equipment and depth of chest compressions. More students placed surgical masks on patients' faces in the additional practice group during the first skill retention assessment (p = 0.005). However, this difference disappeared over time, and both groups performed poorly in the application of protective equipment. The activation of the chain of survival and high-quality chest compressions were acceptable during all the skill retention assessments. There was no significant difference in overall BLS skill retention between the two groups (total score after two weeks: p = 0.764; after two months: p = 0.542; after one year: p = 0.791).

conclusionsThe BLS course provided by our department was effective; however, the BLS practical examination did not offer a significant advantage in terms of skill retention compared to additional practice and continuous assessment in our student population. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

Cardiopulmonary ResuscitationClinical CompetenceCOVID-19Education, Medical, UndergraduateStudents, MedicalAdultEducational MeasurementFemaleHeart ArrestHumansMaleRetention, PsychologySARS-CoV-2Single-Blind MethodBasic life supportCardiopulmonary resuscitationExaminationSkill retentionTraining

Identifiers

PMID41555322
PMCPMC12910728

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.