The RPG (roleplaying game) as a teaching tool in basic life support

Abstract

Background. Determining the satisfactory performances ratio difference in the abilities evaluations in Basic Life Support (BLS) in medicine students after using the RPG (role-playing game) as a teaching tool compared to before the RPG. The hypothesis is that the ratio difference is 10% higher after using the RPG. Methods. Design: before and after study. Sample: undergraduate students of the medicine course, from the first to the last year, stratified by year in a convenience sample. Procedures: RPG sessions were held to simulate different cardiorespiratory arrest situations, with the evaluation of the participants immediately before and after these sessions. Variable: satisfactory performances ratio difference in the abilities evaluations in Basic Life Support after using the RPG compared to before. A standardized formulary was used to evaluate the abilities and the knowledge. Statistical method: the size of the sample was estimated in 77 individuals. The statistical analysis was done with the McNemar’s test; it was calculated a confidence interval of 95% for each estimated point. Results. The satisfactory performances ratio difference in the abilities evaluations in Basic Life Support in medicine students after using the RPG as a teaching tool compared to before was equal to 58% (CI95% 45 a 71, P < 0,0001). The satisfactory performances ratio difference in the knowledge evaluations in Basic Life Support in medicine students after using the RPG as a teaching tool compared to before was equal to 36% (CI95% 24 a 48, P < 0,0001). Conclusions. Using the RPG in the BLS teaching can improve the acquisition of abilities and knowledge in BLS.