Nursing students’ knowledge of Basic Life Support (BLS) and self-confidence in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) in Palestine

Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) are important parts of nursing education and training. Nursing students may vary in terms of their resuscitation knowledge and confidence. Knowing the association between the objective knowledge of BLS and self-confidence in ACLS might contribute to resuscitation training. To explore the knowledge of BLS and self-confidence in ACLS in Palestine undergraduate nursing students and to find the association between these two variables as well as the factors related to BLS knowledge and ACLS self-confidence. This research is a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 428 undergraduate nursing students from two universities in Palestine. The data for this study were collected via a self-reported questionnaire that contains demographics, academic details, 17 multiple choice questions on BLS knowledge, and 16 items using five-point Likert scale on ACLS confidence. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis were utilized for data analysis. The mean score on the BLS knowledge test was 10.38 ± 3.06 out of 17, equivalent to 61.06% ± 18.03. The mean score on the ACLS self-confidence test was 37.36 ± 8.68 out of 80, with a mean item score of 2.33 ± 0.54 out of 5. The internal consistency reliability of the BLS knowledge test was modest (KR-20 = .605), and that of the ACLS self-confidence test was excellent (Cronbach’s α = .918). BLS knowledge had a positive correlation with ACLS self-confidence ( r = .413, p < .001). The levels of both BLS knowledge and ACLS self-confidence were higher among students who previously attended BLS/CPR classes, who had actual experience in performing resuscitation, and had achieved higher academic status (all p < .001). In multiple linear regression analysis, academic year (β = .329, p < .001), previous attendance in BLS/CPR classes (β = .222, p < .001), BLS knowledge (β = .179, p < .001), and actual resuscitation experience (β = .119, p = .003) were independently associated with ACLS self-confidence. The model accounted for 37.1% of the variability in ACLS self-confidence (R 2 = .371; adjusted R 2 = .362). The nursing students in the study demonstrated moderate BLS knowledge and low-to-moderate perceived ACLS self-confidence. Higher BLS knowledge, prior BLS/CPR training, prior real resuscitation experience, and more advanced academic year were associated with higher ACLS self-confidence. These cross-sectional findings identify educationally relevant associations but do not establish causal effects of training, experience, or academic progression.