First aid knowledge and skills of primary school teachers in Hungary

Background: The aim of the research was to measure the first aid knowledge, experiences, attitudes and skills of teachers within the framework of an educational experiment. Methods: The target group were teachers working in the primary schools of Baranya County, Hungary. A total of 156 teachers (N = 156) participated in the study, which included a self-constructed questionnaire. 132 of the teachers (n = 132) also attended a first aid training. Statistical analysis was made by descriptive statistics, one/two-paired T-test and ANOVA. A p- value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: On average, educators achieved a 78.33% result in the assessment of first aid knowledge, but only 38.15% for their practical skills. Based on the results, there were several injuries occurring in the city (672) and at the lower section (498) during one academic year. Participants achieved significantly better results after education on all topics taught than before (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The level of first-aid knowledge is adequate among teachers, but in many cases, this does not align with their practical skills. However, the large number of school accidents requires competent teachers in care. The educational experiment had a significant positive impact on the knowledge and skills of educators. This justifies the motivation of teachers and their ability to master professional care.