BACKGROUND Proper basic life support (BLS) is key in improving the survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. BLS skills deteriorate in three to 6 months after training. One method to improve skill retention may be using the "testing effect" to test skills at the end of a BLS course. The aim of our study was to investigate whether either testing or the timing of such testing after BLS training have any influence on skill retention. METHODS This was a post-test only, partial coverage, prospective quasi-experimental study designed to evaluate a BLS training course among 464 fifth year medical students at Semmelweis University in the first semester of 2013/2014. Groups were systematically but non-randomly assigned to either a control group that took no exam or one of two experimental groups that took an exam (N = 179, NoExam group; N = 165, EndExam group - exam at the end of the BLS training; N = 120, 3mExam group - exam 3 months after the BLS training). The ability to perform ten prescribed essential BLS steps was evaluated during a skill retention assessment 2 months after the course in the NoExam, 2 months after the course (and the exam) in the EndExam and 5 months after the course (2 months after the exam) in the 3mExam group to measure skill retention and the effect of our intervention. Scores were calculated for each BLS step, and also summed up as a total score. We used Kruskal-Wallis test to assess differences in skill retention. RESULTS Overall, NoExam and EndExam groups showed similar skill retention. The mean total score (and many of the sub-scores) of students was significantly higher in the 3mExam group compared to both the NoExam and the EndExam groups, and there was no difference in the total score (and many of the sub-scores) of the latter two groups. The 3mExam group had less variability in total scores (and many of the sub-scores) than the other two groups. CONCLUSION Our study provides evidence that testing these skills 3 months after BLS training may be more effective than either testing immediately at the end of the course or no testing at all.

中文翻译：

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测试的时间会影响基本的生活支持培训后的技能保留：一项前瞻性的准实验研究。

背景技术适当的基本生活支持（BLS）是提高院外心脏骤停生存率的关键。训练后三到六个月，BLS技能会下降。一种提高技能保留率的方法可能是在BLS课程结束时使用“测试效果”来测试技能。我们研究的目的是调查BLS培训后的测试或测试时间是否对技能保留有任何影响。方法这是仅用于测试的，部分覆盖的前瞻性准实验研究，旨在评估2013/2014上学期Semmelweis大学464名5年级医学生的BLS培训课程。将组系统地但非随机地分配给不参加考试的对照组或参加考试的两个实验组之一（N = 179，NoExam组；N = 165，EndExam组-BLS培训结束时的考试；N = 120，3mExam组-BLS培训后3个月的考试）。在NoExam课程结束后2个月，EndExam课程（和考试）之后2个月以及课程之后5个月（考试之后2个月）的技能保留评估期间，评估了执行十个规定的基本BLS步骤的能力）在3mExam组中以衡量技能保留率和我们的干预效果。计算每个BLS步骤的分数，并将其汇总为总分数。我们使用Kruskal-Wallis检验来评估技能保留的差异。结果总体而言，NoExam和EndExam组显示出相似的技能保留率。与NoExam和EndExam组相比，3mExam组中学生的平均总得分（以及许多子得分）明显更高，后两组的总得分（以及许多子得分）没有差异。3mExam组的总得分（和许多子得分）的变异性低于其他两组。结论我们的研究提供了证据，证明在BLS训练后3个月测试这些技能可能比在课程结束时立即进行测试或根本不进行测试更有效。