The significance of clinical experience on learning outcome from resuscitation training-a randomised controlled study

ontext: The impact of clinical experience on learning outcome from a resuscitation course has not been systematically investigated.Aim: To determine whether half a year of clinical experience before participation in an Advanced Life Support (ALS) course increases the immediate learning outcome and retention of learning.Materials and methods: This was a prospective single blinded randomised controlled study of the learning outcome from a standard ALS course on a volunteer sample of the entire cohort of newly graduated doctors from Copenhagen University. The outcome measurement was ALS-competence assessed using a validated composite test including assessment of skills and knowledge.Intervention: The intervention was half a year of clinical work before an ALS course. The intervention group received the course after a half-year of clinical experience. The control group participated in an ALS course immediately following graduation.Results: Invitation to participate was accepted by 154/240 (64%) graduates and 117/154 (76%) completed the study. There was no difference between the intervention and control groups with regard to the imme- diate learning outcome. The intervention group had significantly higher retention of learning compared to the control group, intervention group mean 82% (CI 80–83), control group mean 78% (CI 76–80), P = 0.002. The magnitude of this difference was medium (effect size = 0.57).Conclusions: Half a year of clinical experience, before participation in an ALS course had a small but statistically significant impact on the retention of learning, but not on the immediate learning outcome. The impact of clinical experience on learning outcome from a resuscitation course has not been systematically investigated.