CHANGES IN KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOLLOWING BASIC PRE HOSPITAL LIFE SUPPORT TRAINING AMONG PREHOSPITAL AMBULANCE PERSONNEL AT EMERGENCY AMBULANCE 118, JAKARTA

Abstract

Background. Pre-hospital emergency care requires ambulance personnel to demonstrate
standardized competencies in assessment, resuscitation, triage, communication, and safe
transport. At AGD 118 Jakarta, formal Basic Pre-Hospital Life Support (BPLS) training had
not previously been implemented. However, the local training need and the effect of a
structured BPLS program had not been formally evaluated.
Research Purpose. This study aimed to assess changes in knowledge and practical skills
following BPLS training among ambulance personnel at AGD 118 Jakarta.
Research Methods. A pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted
using total sampling of 50 ambulance personnel at AGD 118 Jakarta. Knowledge was
assessed using a 40-item multiple-choice questionnaire, and practical skills were assessed
using a 93-item observational checklist. Scores were converted to percentages [0–100].
Paired t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-training scores at ? = 0.05.
Findings. Before training, 66% of participants had poor knowledge and 76% had poor skills.
After training, 76% had good knowledge and 72% had good skills. Mean knowledge scores
increased from 42.34 to 75.68 (mean change +33.34 percentage points; t = ?21.453; df = 49;
p < 0.001), while mean skill scores increased from 44.10 to 74.32 (mean change +30.22
percentage points; t = ?19.876; df = 49; p < 0.001).
Conclusion. Knowledge and practical skills increased significantly following BPLS
training. The findings support institutionalizing structured, competency-based BPLS
training and periodic refresher assessment for ambulance personnel. Because the study used
a one-group design and measured outcomes immediately after training, the findings should
be interpreted as within-participant learning gains rather than a causal treatment effect.