Life saving students Training students in immediate life support is good news for patients. Billiejoan Rice describes an initiative at Queen's University Belfast

摘要

Queen's University Belfast has incorporated the Immediate Life Support (ELS) course into its undergraduate curriculum. The course, recognised by the Resuscitation Council (UK), develops students' ability to respond when patients become acutely ill. It teaches them to take pre-emptive action and start cardiopulmonary resuscitation promptly. The course was previously only available to qualified nurses. However, general hospital wards are treating more acutely ill patients, so undergraduate nurses need to be able to recognise and treat patients who suddenly become unwell.