The Impact of an Educational Training Program on Basic Life Support and First Aid to Manage Risk Among Mechanical Engineering Students at Sudan University

Background: Mechanical engineering students spend several hours in primitive workshops and laboratories for training as part of their academic curriculum; they are exposed to various types of hazards such as machines, ﬂammable materials, and other dangers. These machines are one of the causes of amputation, crushing, and broken bones among these students. This study aims to explore how training in ﬁrst aid (FA) and basic life support (BLS) helps mechanical engineering students at Sudan University of Sciences and Technology manage risks in such situations


Introduction
The global burden of injuries is probable to increase over the next 20 years.It is projected that by 2030, injuries will be the leading cause of death universally, and deaths from self-harm will be the 12th leading cause of death [1].In Khartoum State, injuries are among the 10 leading reasons for attending outpatient clinics and formal health units [2].Statistics show that the overall incidence of injuries among students in Khartoum state was 82.0/1000 people/years at risk of injuries [3].A total of 441 cases of nonfatal harm arisen in 12 months.There were 28 deaths due to injuries out of 129 reported deaths over five years [4].Student's contact with splashed chemical liquids, powders, dust, fumes, mists, gases, machine lubricants, degreasers, coolants, releasing agents, paint, fuel, cleaners, metalworking fluids, gels, or grease used around machinery could be harmful.These chemicals can burn, explode, corrode, poison, or produce irritation [5][6][7].injuries play a significant role in university students' success [8].According to a previous study, human error is responsible for 80-90% of school-related industrial injuries [9].Globally, millions of individuals die each year as a result of accidents or serious injuries.
Unfortunately, many of those deaths could have been prevented if first aid (FA) was administered at the scene immediately before the emergency services arrived [10].For instance, it was reported that giving the patient the proper position could lower the mortality rate by as much as 10%.In addition to the lifesaving results of FA, effective and timely FA practices also prevent disabilities [11].It is well-known that education programs are the most commonly used approach in injury prevention and management [12].Numerous agencies, such as the American Red Cross, the American Safety and Health Institute, the American Heart Association, and other organizations, have trained millions of individuals in FA, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and automated external defibrillator (AED).
However, there is still a need to train more people, especially the college-age population [13].The administration of FA and Basic Life Support (BLS) as soon as possible after an injury may help reduce the rate of morbidity and mortality from schoolrelated industrial injuries [12,14].This study was conducted to emphasize the importance of FA and BLS programs in teaching students basic facts and techniques that can save lives [15].

Study design
This study had a quasi-experimental design.The study was conducted on a single group; pre-and posttests were followed by a posttest evaluation (late posttest) after three months to assess how well the knowledge and skills were retained.

Population and study setting
The study population comprised of bachelor's students in their second, third, and fourth years in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering College at Sudan University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Khartoum state, the capital of Sudan.
Students who were eligible to be in the study needed to be available for the duration of the 2018-2019 academic year and willing to participate in the study.

Sample size and sampling technique
The researchers used the stratified random sample (p) (q)}/ (d) 2 [16], where P = 0.5 was assumed as the population proportion since the researchers were uncertain about the proportion.Q was calculated as (1-p), d was set as 8% for the margin of error, and Z was chosen as 1.96 to achieve a 95% confidence level.Consequently, the calculated sample size was n = 120.However, it is worth noting that 20 students dropped out of the study during program implementation, resulting in a final sample size of 100.for the skills checklist.This deemed the format is statistically acceptable.

The training program
The

Results
The present study assessed the effect of an educational training program on the 100 engineering students -86% were male and 14% were female.
Participants' ages ranged from 18 to 37 years, with 88% of participants being between the ages of 18 and 22. Study participants were from different academic levels, and most of their parents had completed university, as indicated in Table 1.

Participants' knowledge levels
The total mean knowledge scores were 13.82 in the pretest and 49.87 in the posttest.The postlate (three-month later) test had a total mean knowledge score of 48.77 out of a possible 50point total.As indicated in Table 2, In pair 1, the P-value (0.0001) is <0.05, which means there is a statistically significant difference between the mean pre-and posttest knowledge.The post sample is a beater.The P-value of pair 2 (0.000) is <0.05, which means there is a statistically significant difference between the mean preand post-late knowledge as well.The post-late sample is the beater.In pair 3, the posttest and post-late samples of the knowledge mean and paired differences had a mean of 0.18, a standard deviation of 0.07, and a standard error of 0.03.Pair 3 has a t-value of 6.55 with 5º of freedom, and a Pvalue of 0.501, which is >0.05, meaning there is no statistically significant difference between posttest and post-late knowledge, as indicated in Table 3.

Participants' skill level
The pretest total percentage of skills done correctly was 12.87%, the posttest total percentage of skills done correctly was 95.65%, and the post-late total percentage of skills done correctly is 95.21%.The maximum score of the total percentage of correctly answered questions is 100%, as indicated in Figure 1.

Discussion
The study's findings showed that the sample comprised of males and females, mainly between the ages of 18 and 22 years, reflecting a picture of the general population distribution in most mechanical engineering schools.They were from different academic years within the engineering faculty.Furthermore, most of the students live in urban areas, and more than half of them had no previous knowledge of FA or BLS.They obtained their information from the internet and social media.This is nearly identical to results from research by Khader et al., who found that the majority of students were male (63%) and were between the ages of 18 and 22, with the majority of students being in their second year (27%) [18].indicates that the implemented program effectively enhanced students' knowledge of FA and BLS.Our

Conclusion
Results from this study suggest that the training Lastly, the authors would like to thank their colleagues at Shaqra University for their support and encouragement.
method to determine the sample size, dividing the study population into three strata: secondyear, third-year, and fourth-year students.The Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) technique was employed, given that the target population comprised 600 students, and each stratum contained 200 students.Therefore, with Nh1 = 40, Nh2 = 40, and Nh3 = 40, the total sample size was n = 120.To determine the necessary sample size, the researchers used the following formula N = {(z) 2 * and applicability, and to determine the length of time needed for data collection.Based on the pilot study results, necessary modifications were made, and each item in the tool was refined and put in the appropriate setting.It took pilot participants approximately 25-30 min to complete the knowledge section of the questionnaire and 25-35 min to complete the skills-related tasks based on the criteria in the observational checklist.Pilot study participants were then excluded from the study sample.Using the Pearson's correlation coefficient and the Alpha Cronbach test, the reliability of the instrument was found to be r = 0.87 for the knowledge questionnaire and r = 0.82 Phase one (preparation): After designing the study tools, official approval was obtained from Sudan University of Science and Technology to carry out the study.The study's support staff (i.e., 10 healthcare providers) were given a comprehensive brief on the research topics and tools to be used.The researcher's assistant visited students in levels 2, 3, and 4 to discuss the objectives of the training program, and written consent was obtained from students who agreed to participate.The researchers coordinated with the study participants and the college administration to determine the appropriate place and time for implementing the training.Phase two (pretest): The researchers, together with their work team, distributed the questionnaires to all participants, who completed the questionnaire in 25-30 min to test their knowledge.Then, each participant was given one of the 10 trainees on which they tested their FA and BLS skills using the observational checklist.Each pretest took 30-35 min.Phase three (intervention): The researchers and their work team implemented the training program to ascertain that it was implemented correctly.The program lasted a total of 65 hr and consisted of 13 lectures.There were three lectures per week, and each lecture lasted 5 hr (2 hr of theory and 3 hr of practical skills).At the end of the program, educational materials printed in English were distributed.These included booklets, posters, and videos, and were also sent to study participants via email and WhatsApp.Phase four (posttest intervention): Evaluation of the training program began in this phase and was performed immediately using the same questionnaire and observational checklist as the pretest to compare FA and BLS knowledge and skills pre-and postintervention.Further, the same tool was used three months later to give an additional post-late test to assess knowledge gaps and retention.2.5.Data analysisData wereanalyzed to address the study objectives.Descriptive and inferential statistics were DOI 10.18502/sjms.v19i1.15786obtained using the SPSS, version 20.Descriptive measures included frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation.A paired t-test and an interval 3-point Likert scale were used to compare the effectiveness of the program.
program helped students learn and practice FA and BLS better in posttests than they did before the training.An early evaluation of the post-training program test revealed significant improvements in study participants' FA and BLS knowledge and practical skills.The post-late test three months after the program completion assessed participants' knowledge and skill retention, showing only a small drop in each category.The following are the study's limitationsThe same research can be conducted in large samples to generalize the finding.A similar study can be performed with a control group.The study can be undertaken in another field.A similar study can be conducted in the school setting.Acknowledgementwith the authors are thankful to all the staff of the University of National Ribat, the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies and Scientific Research, and the Faculty of Nursing Sciences.They are especially thankful to Dr. Mahmoud Abd Albadee for his guidance.We would also like to thank the participants for their permission, time, and cooperation in conducting this research smoothly.

Table 1 :
Distribution of the study population by demographic characteristics (n = 100).
but improved after program implementation, as indicated by the results of posttests one and two.There are statistically significant differences between the pretest and both posttests, which DOI 10.18502/sjms.v19i1.15786FA: first aid; BLS: basic life support.

Table 2 :
The total mean of knowledge in pre-, post-, and post-late educational programs among engineering students (n = 100).

Table 3 :
Total knowledge scores from students' paired sample statistics, mean standard deviation, and P-value in pre-, post-, and three-months' post-educational program (n = 100).
CID: confidence level of interference differences; STD: standard deviation; N: number of knowledge groups.