Comparison of Four Different AED Training Methods in Three Different Age Groups

This study is a prospective, randomized trial that compares the effectiveness and retention of four different training methods for the use of an AED:

A. Traditional instructor based learning;

B. The use of a personal manikin with a DVD training to practice the necessary AED skills;

C. The use of a personal manikin with a DVD training to practice the necessary AED skills and additional scenario training;

D. Watching a 2.5 minutes DVD which shows the use of an AED.

It is hypnotised that there are no differences between these training methods, in which case method D is most efficient to reach large number of people to learn BLS/AED skills.

There are two interesting target groups to reach:

1. Younger people, as they might give the highest interest after training, as they normally live longer.
2. Older people as they are member of the most important group in risk and have therefore a higher change of being a witness of cardiac arrest.

As there might be differences in the results between different training methods than can be related to age, each training group is distinguished to three different groups:

1. 21 years of younger;
2. between 21 and 50 years;
3. older than 50 years.

It is hypnotised that there are no differences between younger and older students within each of the four training methods.