Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess high school teachers’ knowledge of basic life support (BLS) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to examine its association with years of teaching experience.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among high school teachers in Riyadh using an electronically distributed questionnaire. Simple random sampling was employed to select participants, with a calculated sample size of 370 teachers. The questionnaire assessed knowledge of various BLS components, including emergency response steps, cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures, and airway management.
Results: A total of 401 teachers participated in the study. The mean years of teaching experience were 12.32 ± 12.02 years. Teachers with more than 10 years of experience demonstrated significantly better knowledge in identifying the correct emergency ambulance number (p-value = 0.000), maintaining neck position in unconscious individuals after trauma (p-value = 0.004), and proper chest compression hand placement (p-value = 0.000). However, less experienced teachers showed greater accuracy in recognizing the correct chest compression depth (p-value = 0.005). Overall, gaps in BLS knowledge were observed among teachers regardless of experience level, highlighting the need for structured training programs.
Conclusion: Despite variations in knowledge based on years of experience, critical gaps in BLS competency remained among high school teachers in Riyadh. The findings emphasize the importance of implementing mandatory and recurrent BLS training programs to ensure teachers are well-equipped to manage emergencies in school settings. Integrating structured BLS education into teacher training curricula could enhance emergency preparedness and improve response outcomes.

Key words: Awareness, basic life support, high school, teachers, Saudi Arabia