Effectiveness of Planned Teaching Programme
on First Aid for Emergencies to Primary School Teachers.
P. Yasodha and Anju Thomas
College of
Nursing, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Coimbatore -
641044.
E-mail: yasodhagopi@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
Accidents are silent epidemic; they are among the top
four most frequent causes of death at any age. Children experiencing accidents
is nothing new; in today’s sophisticated societies, accidents are predominant
amongst young children. First aid is the initial treatment given to the
casualty of suddenly sick or injured. Knowledge on first aid is used to manage
minor injuries at home, school and work place. The study was conducted to
evaluate the effectiveness of planned teaching program on first aid for
emergencies to primary school teachers. Quantitative approach was followed in
the study, the design chosen was one group pre-test post-test design and convenient
sampling technique was used to select the participants. A total number of 20
primary school teachers were included in this study. The interview method was
used to collect data from the participants. The questionnaire was prepared and
it consists of baseline data and knowledge questions. A structured lesson plan
was formulated and education was done by using lecture cum demonstration
method. The reassessment of knowledge was done using the same questionnaire
which was used for the pre-assessment test. An inferential statistical analysis
was used to analyze the data and the results showed that, there is a difference
in knowledge level of primary school teachers before and after the education.
KEY WORDS: first aid, primary
school children, knowledge of primary school teachers.
INTRODUCTION:
An accident is a specific, identifiable, unusual and
unintended external event which occurs in a particular time and place (Health
Action, 2000).The school environment is where children spend a significant portion
of each day. This sets the stage for schools being second to home as the
location where injuries are more commonly occur. Most of the schools provide
onsite first aid to injured students. However, the actual emergency equipment
present in schools varies widely.
School sport is a major cause of injury in the post
primary age group. Abernethy and MacAnley (2003)
conducted a study on prevention of school related sport injury in Ireland. A
random sample of 450 schools in Ireland was studied using postal questionnaires.
Current management of sport injury, with particular interest in the expertise
and training of teachers and coaches was explored. This study demonstrated
deficiencies in sport injury care. In addition to concern about current
training, is a need for basic life support training is highlighted.
A study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of
a nurse-led educational intervention for 324 teachers on their knowledge of and
anxiety about management of children having health emergencies. The study
demonstrated the feasibility and value of nurse’s in educating teachers about
school emergencies and is placing the individual health care plan into action.
The intervention resulted in increased knowledge and decreased anxiety about
emergency response (Jena Clayton Barrett, 1995).
A study was carried out in response to teachers
concerns about emergency situations involving children with asthma, epilepsy
and diabetes. Data were collected on whether teachers had received advice on
copying with such emergencies in either their basic teacher training or in-
service training and whether they felt competent to cope with emergencies which
could arise. The research found that teachers would appreciate regular updates
on care of these children (Brown, 1996).
Carter, Bannon and Jones
(1991) conducted a research in medical school, Edgbaston
to determine the role of teacher in child accident prevention. A sample of 278
head teachers of children aged between 3 and 11 years were sent a postal
questionnaire to determine the manner and extent to which they were involved.
Levels of reporting and management of individual accident cases varied.
Gagliardi, Neighbors, and Speras
(1994) conducted a study to determine the extent of training and emergency
care, knowledge of public school teachers and to assess the frequency of injury
and illness in the school setting requiring the teachers to first respond. A
questionnaire, scenario- based, emergency medical care test was developed and
pretested, among that one –third had no specific training in first aid and 40%
never had been trained in CPR. However, most of the respondents strongly agreed
that emergency care training should be required in teacher preparation
progress. 18% of teachers responded that they had encountered at least one life
threatening emergengy in a student during their
career. Overall, most of public school teachers in the study were deficient in
both training and knowledge of emergency care and basic life support
modalities. Lack of effective, formal emergency care training in teacher
preparation programs coupled with no continuing education requirement is a
possible explanation of these results.
A survey was conducted to evaluate the knowledge and
attitudes of Iranian elementary school teachers with regard to emergency
management of dental trauma. 160 teachers were selected from 40 schools. A
three part self- administered questionnaire were given to the teachers, to
assess the knowledge of the growth patterns of children’s dentition, general
dental trauma, fractured and avulsed teeth as well as attitudes regarding
dental trauma was used. Chi-square analysis was performed to examine the effect
of educational background topics taught on their knowledge and on the
management of dental trauma. Majority of the participants had received tertiary
education regarding the management of tooth fracture. 52.4% provided
appropriate answers. Only 38% knew about appropriate washing medium and about a
one third were familiar with proper storage media (Shahamfar,
2009).
OBJECTIVES:
1.
Assessment of
knowledge of the primary school teachers on first aid.
2.
Education to the
primary school teachers regarding first aid.
3.
Reassessment of
knowledge of the primary school teachers on first aid.
HYPOTHESIS:
H1: The education will improve the knowledge and skills
of primary school teachers.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
RESEARCH
DESIGN
One group pre-test and post test design was adopted for
this study.
SAMPLING
TECHNIQUE AND SAMPLE SIZE:
Convenient sampling technique was used and a total of 20 primary school teachers were selected
as participants.
DESCRIPTION
OF TOOL:
PART 1:
Demographic variables consist of age, gender and education status.
PART 2:
Assessment of knowledge was done by using multiple choice questionnaires
which was prepared by the researcher. It consists of 30 questions and the
correct response is given a score of one mark.
DATA
COLLECTION PROCEDURE:
The purpose of the study was explained to the
participants and 30 mts given to them to answer the
pre test questionnaire. Then education was given by LCD and demonstration was
done. After 3 days, post test was conducted to assess the knowledge level using
the same tool which was used for pre-test.
DATA ANALYSIS
AND INTERPRETATION:
Scoring was given and results for the pre-test and
post- test were compared to find out the knowledge that was gained by the
teachers. ‘t’ test
was used to test the significance of mean difference in the knowledge
level of primary school teachers, before and after education. The calculated‘t’
value 15.28 is greater than the table value at 0.05 level of significance. This
states that there exists a significance mean difference in the knowledge level
of primary school teachers, before and after education. Hence, it can be stated
that the structured teaching programme and
demonstration has improved the knowledge level of teachers about first aid in
emergencies.
RESULTS AND DISSCUSTION:
In this study among 20 participants, 75% belong to the
age group of 21-30 years. 40% of
participants completed MA, 20% of them BA, 20% completed B.Sc., remaining 20%
completed M.Sc.
In Pre- test the mean and standard deviation of
knowledge level are 14.5 and 2.16 respectively. The mean value of post-test was
23.7 and standard deviation was 2.27. The mean difference is 9.2. The results
found that there is a difference in knowledge level of primary school teachers
before and after education.
REFERENCES:
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Ajay Singh.
(2004). First aid and emergency care. (9th Ed.), N.R.Brothers
publications, 241-245.
2.
Avner. (2002). the preparedness of schools respond to
emergencies in children. Retrieved from http://www.ext.colostate.edu.
3.
Bowen. (1996).
Educating teachers in children’s illness, retrieved from http://www.embase.com
4.
Colin
Buchanan. (2002) child accidents en route from school. Retrieved from http://www.scotland.gov.uk.
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Dewin.m.
(2002). First aid care. Health service journals. Vol;
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Farab.
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Gofin.
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Spears.
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Received on 21.07.2011 Modified
on 12.10.2011
Accepted on 16.12.2011 © A&V Publication all right reserved
Asian J. Nur. Edu. and Research 1(3): July-Sept. 2011; Page 85-86