BASIC LIFE SUPPORT: EVALUATION OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION STUDENTS FROM A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN WESTERN PARANÁ

Abstract

Cardiorespiratory Arrest (CRA) is an extreme emergency situation in which recognition of the condition and early intervention are fundamental. For this, there is the Basic Life Support (BLS) protocol, developed by the American Heart Association (AHA), which establishes a chain of actions that must be performed in the initial management of an individual in CRA. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed the evaluation of Physical Education students' knowledge about BLS applied to cardiorespiratory arrest. METHODS: This is a exploratory and descriptive study with a quantitative approach, in which questionnaires were applied to a sample of 92 Physical Education students from a private institution in Western Paraná. RESULTS: Regarding the clinical signs of CRA, 36.95% of the students know that the first parameter to be recognized is responsiveness and 60.86% know that the other two parameters to be recognized are pulse and respiration. 67.39% of the students know how to act immediately after identifying a CRA. As for the use of the Automated External Defibrillator, only 23.91% have knowledge on how to start using the equipment. CONCLUSION: The evaluated students' knowledge is insufficient to recognize and act when facing a situation of cardiorespiratory arrest.