Effectiveness of blended learning basic life support module on knowledge and skills: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

AIM: To examine the effectiveness of the BLS blended learning module on knowledge and skills of BLS compared to the traditional module. METHOD: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were utilized using key words to searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library for the studies published between January 2018 to May 2022. The risk of bias was assessed utilizing the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist. Two reviewers separately extracted data from the included trials using a standardized data extraction form. RESULTS: From 400 articles retrieved by the initial search, 11 studies were found to be eligible. Most studies’ participants were laypersons (80.9 %), and the rest were either nursing (12.6 %) or medical students (6.5 %). The review shows superiority of utilizing the blended strategy in applying the BLS module in skills and knowledge retention, rather than using the traditional learning, which could improve the quality and outcomes of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Blended learning is effective in teaching BLS like the traditional face-to-face method, but more advantages of the blended learning module include improvement in retaining knowledge, skills acquisition, patient outcomes, and cost saving. The COVID-19 pandemic made blended learning crucial and using this method in BLS was effective and efficient. Future research to assess the effectiveness of blended learning on patient outcomes is recommended.