Introduction: According to the prevailing opinion, among teaching methods that are the most successful are the realistic display of injuries and the imitation of conditions of injured people and the simulation of various accidents. The latter has next to its advantages also certain shortcomings. These are, above all, longer times of preparation and execution of training and the necessary equipment and qualified imitators, what we can partly replace by the use of image and video material. Purpose: To evaluate how course participants and lecturers estimate the usefulness of images and video clips of realistic injuries examples in the training of laymen in first aid. We checked the hypothesis: »Laymen estimate that the usage of images and video material of more serious injuries in first aid training is useful and contributes significantly to the acquired knowledge.« Methods: We formed the unified PowerPoint presentation of giving first aid at the wounds and bones and joints injuries. The first aid lecturers used the PowerPoint presentations on ten courses for laymen in various places across Slovenia. Data collecting within the descriptive method of research took place by an anonymous evaluation questionnaire about the seen presentation fulfilled by the participants at the end of training course. Simultaneously with the evaluation questionnaire, we performed partly structured interviews with the licensed first aid lecturers to find out how they estimate the usefulness of images and video clips of realistic injuries examples as didactic means for first aid training of laymen. Results: The evaluation questionnaire fulfilled 229 course participants. We performed nine interviews with the licensed first aid lecturers. The course participants estimated the use of various image material as very beneficial. The course participants also estimated that the usage of sketches of injuries, compared to color photography and video materials in greater extent contributes to better understanding of the first aid measures. Nevertheless, on the other hand, they estimated that the images and above all, video material are the most beneficial for the acquired knowledge of the first aid courses. Finally, the participants taking into consideration eventual unpleasant feelings while looking at the realistic cases estimated that the most suitable and useful are the video clips and the least suitable are the sketches of injuries. No less than 89 % of participants clearly stated that the use of realistic examples of injuries is useful. The licensed lecturers positively evaluate the usage of the image and video material of realistic injury cases. Discussion and conclusion: At first aid training of laymen, the successive use of all image material is sensible (by the concept of gradualness – schematic review of injuries, then the real case photography and on the end video clips of real injury examples).
|
