Stop the Bleed: The Impact of a Basic Bleeding Control Course on High School Personnel's Perceptions of Self-Efficacy and School Preparedness.

Background: Uncontrolled bleeding is the leading cause of preventable death from trauma. The Stop the Bleed (STB) initiative provides basic education about bleeding to potential immediate responders. The present study aimed to assess the perceptions of self-efficacy and school preparedness related to responding to a life-threatening bleeding emergency in school personnel at an urban high school. Methods: High school personnel from an urban high school (N = 156) completed a 1-hour STB course that included a didactic and hands-on component. Participants rated their agreement with statements about self-efficacy and school preparedness on a 5-point Likert-type scale, responded to items regarding how school personnel could be better prepared for life-threatening emergencies, and had the option to provide written responses pre- and post-course. Findings: Independent samples t tests revealed that perceptions of self-efficacy and school preparedness increased after the course (p < .001). Before the course, 87% of participants felt they needed training, 80% felt the school needed clearer procedures, and 74% felt the school required more equipment for a life-threatening bleeding incident compared with 63%, 69%, and 78% post-course, respectively. Thematic analysis of written responses revealed that participants desired higher frequencies of STB training, more equipment, clearer school procedures, and realistic training scenarios with students. Conclusions/Application to Practice: The STB course increased both perceptions of self-efficacy and school preparedness in a sample of high school personnel. Qualitative analyses provided insight to personnel's opinion of STB's effectiveness and what is necessary to maintain or follow through with this knowledge after completion of the course.

Stop the Bleed Training Improves Knowledge, Skills, and Confidence Among School Nurses.

BACKGROUND: School nurses play an integral part in prehospital care for life-threatening bleeding in educational environments. This study evaluated the efficacy of Stop the Bleed training for improving school nurses' knowledge, hands-on skill, self-confidence, and belief in school preparedness for responding to a life-threatening bleeding emergency. METHOD: Sixteen northeastern U.S. public school nurses completed a 1-hour seminar on appropriate life-threatening bleeding intervention with written and hands-on pre- and postassessments. Written assessments measured bleeding control knowledge, self-confidence, and perceptions of school preparedness. Hands-on assessments measured tourniquet application and wound-packing skills. RESULTS: After training, participants scored significantly higher on the written assessment measuring basic bleeding control knowledge. The written postassessment showed significantly higher levels of self-confidence and belief in school preparedness (p ≤ .05, n = 16). Hands-on skill for tourniquet application and wound packing also significantly increased following training (p ≤ .05, n = 16). CONCLUSION: The Stop the Bleed training was effective in improving school nurses' basic knowledge about life-threatening bleeding control and improved tourniquet application and wound-packing skills. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2019;50(11):501-507.].

Practice makes perfect: The impact of Stop the Bleed training on hemorrhage control knowledge, wound packing, and tourniquet application in the workplace.

INTRODUCTION: The national Stop the Bleed (STB) campaign was implemented in 2015 to provide hemorrhage control education to non-medical providers to reduce the number of deaths due to uncontrolled hemorrhage. Hands on training limits the availability of this program, and its importance is not known amongst lay providers. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of STB training for laypersons on knowledge and skill-based abilities in the workplace setting. We hypothesized such hands on and in-person training would improve performance. METHODS: Non-medical potential first responders (PFR; N = 298) participated in STB training comprised of a lecture and hands-on component. PFRs completed a bleeding control knowledge-based pre-and post-assessment. Following the lecture, participants were divided into experimental and control groups during which hands-on practice was manipulated to determine the impact of guided practice on wound packing and tourniquet application. Wound packing and tourniquet application assessments were performed and scores compared between the experimental and control groups. RESULTS: PFRs scored higher on the bleeding control bleeding control knowledge-based post-test (M = 4.63, SD = 1.32) than on the pre-test (M = 3.21, SD = 1.14). Employees in the experimental group (M = 2.93, SD = .26) also scored significantly higher than the control group (M = 1.97, SD = .77) that attempted wound packing without any hands-on training. PFRs in the experimental group scored significantly higher (M = 7.41, SD = .91) than PFRs in the control group (M = 5.99, SD = 1.81) for tourniquet application. CONCLUSION: Knowledge related to hemorrhage control increased following the STB course. Participants who engaged in hands-on practice for tourniquet and wound packing were more proficient than those who only saw the lecture. We confirm that in person, hands on training is key to the success of lay STB training.