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Effect of First-Aid Training on Emergency Response Skills among Secondary School Teachers in Nigeria

Abstract

Secondary school teachers may be among the first individuals available to respond when students experience injuries, sudden illness, accidents, or other medical emergencies within the school environment. However, inadequate knowledge and practical first-aid skills among teachers may result in delayed or inappropriate emergency responses, potentially increasing the risk of complications. First-aid training provides teachers with essential knowledge and practical skills for recognizing emergencies, providing immediate assistance, preventing further harm, and facilitating timely referral to appropriate healthcare services. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of first-aid training on emergency response skills among secondary school teachers in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on Social Cognitive Theory, the Health Belief Model, and Experiential Learning Theory. Social Cognitive Theory explains how self-efficacy, observational learning, behavioural reinforcement, and social support may influence teachers' ability to acquire and apply first-aid skills. The Health Belief Model explains how teachers' perceptions of the severity of emergencies, perceived benefits of first-aid response, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their willingness to respond appropriately during emergencies. Experiential Learning Theory emphasizes learning through practical experience, demonstration, practice, reflection, and application, making it particularly relevant to skills-based first-aid training. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how first-aid training may influence emergency response skills among secondary school teachers in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental or analytical cross-sectional research design. The study population will comprise teachers employed in selected public and private secondary schools across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select geopolitical zones, states, local government areas, schools, and eligible teachers. First-aid training will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to formal first-aid training, duration and frequency of training, theoretical instruction, practical demonstrations, simulation exercises, cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, management of bleeding, wound care, fracture and sprain management, choking response, seizure first aid, management of burns, recognition of emergencies, and procedures for activating emergency medical services. Emergency response skills will be assessed using indicators such as recognition of emergency situations, scene safety assessment, appropriate communication, basic life support procedures, cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills, bleeding control, choking response, positioning of injured persons, basic management of fractures and burns, emergency referral, and appropriate use of first-aid equipment. Practical skills may be assessed using standardized skills checklists and simulated emergency scenarios in addition to structured questionnaires. Data will be collected using first-aid knowledge questionnaires, practical skills assessment checklists, simulation-based assessments, training records, and relevant school health and safety documents. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize participants' characteristics, exposure to first-aid training, and emergency response skills. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of first-aid training on emergency response skills. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, emergency response skill scores before and after first-aid training may be compared to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that first-aid training has a significant positive effect on emergency response skills among secondary school teachers in Nigeria. Teachers who receive structured and practical first-aid training are expected to demonstrate improved recognition of emergencies, better performance of basic first-aid procedures, greater confidence in responding to injuries and sudden illnesses, and more appropriate emergency referral practices than teachers without recent training. Practical demonstrations, simulation exercises, and repeated skills practice may improve retention and the ability to apply first-aid procedures under emergency conditions. Training may also improve teachers' confidence in activating emergency services and using available first-aid equipment. However, inadequate training materials, limited access to first-aid equipment, infrequent refresher training, large student populations, lack of emergency protocols, and limited access to emergency healthcare services may affect teachers' ability to apply their skills effectively. The study therefore expects regular, practical, standardized, and competency-based first-aid training to contribute significantly to improved emergency response skills among secondary school teachers in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on first-aid training, emergency response skills, school health and safety, teacher preparedness, injury prevention, emergency preparedness, basic life support, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, state ministries of health and education, secondary schools, teacher training institutions, emergency medical services, healthcare professionals, school health personnel, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving emergency preparedness in schools. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating standardized first-aid training into teacher development programmes, providing functional first-aid kits in schools, conducting regular refresher training and emergency simulations, establishing clear school emergency response protocols, and strengthening linkages between schools and emergency healthcare services across Nigeria.

Keywords: First-aid training, emergency response skills, secondary school teachers, school health and safety, emergency preparedness, basic life support, injury prevention, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, teacher preparedness, Nigeria, public health.