Medine Akkan ÖZ, Bensu BULUT, Ayşenur GÜR, Murat GENÇ, Hüseyin MUTLU, Ramiz YAZICI
Comprehensive Medicine - 2026;18(2):154-160
Objective: Early intervention is crucial for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases. As healthcare facilities that are in regular contact with the public, pharmacies are potential environments where emergencies may occur. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of Basic Life Support (BLS) training on the knowledge and skills of pharmacists and pharmacy assistants in the province of Ankara. Materials and Methods: This pre-post descriptive study was conducted from May to August 2025 with ethics approval. A total of 258 pharmacists received 16-hour BLS training based on the 2020 AHA guidelines. A 20-question test and a practical skills exam were administered before and after training. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman correlation. Results: 93% of participants were pharmacists, and 7% were other personnel. The 79.7+/-8.4 average score of the pre-test rose to 95.7+/-4.1 for the post-test, and this rise was found to be statistically significant (p<0.001). The mean score for the practical exam was 97.7+/-1.8. 99.6% of all participants were successful. It was determined that there was a negative correlation between the number of working years and both pre-test (r=-0.184, p<0.05) and post-test (r=-0.286, p<0.05) scores. The lowest scores were observed in the group with 20 years or more of experience. Conclusion: BLS training significantly improved the knowledge level of pharmacists and pharmacy assistants. The decline in test performance as professional experience increases highlights the necessity of regular refresher training, particularly for senior professionals.
