In-school first aid online theoretical course: perception of basic education teachers

Abstract

Introduction: At school, accidents are often witnessed by the teacher, who is responsible for the children and adolescents. Although the literature indicates the relevance of first aid courses, it is necessary to understand the perceptions of course participants, as the protagonists in this learning process, to adapt the training actions and the technologies used, since health education can drastically reduce unintentional injury rates.

Objective: To understand the teacher perceptions in a private elementary school regarding the online course on first aid theoretical fundamentals.

Methods: This is a qualitative and descriptive study that was developed in a private elementary school in the south of Minas Gerais, Brazil. the data collection was from January to March 2022. The study population consisted of ten teachers, who participated in the online extension course “Theoretical Fundamentals of first aid in schools”. The data collection was done through a semi-structured interview, mediated by remote technology, and the information was analyzed using Thematic Analysis.

Results: The analysis resulted in two themes and a subtheme respectively: “First aid as a new topic for elementary school teachers”; “Contributions of the online course: new learning in first aid” and “The lack of practical classes as a limitation of the teaching strategy”.

Conclusion: The online course has emerged as a useful resource for training teachers in first aid, expanding knowledge, and disclosing a field for reflection on school safety. However, the lack of practical content is identified as a limitation of the strategy, as it does not provide opportunities for the development of psychomotor skills.