Knowledge and attitude of school teachers about common medical emergencies in the school setting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Authors:
Ahmad Mahmoud Wazzan,
Adham Mohammed Albulushi,
Abdulrahman Abdullah Badawood,
Alwaleed Nasser Alqurashi,
Jomanah Abdullah Alshehri,
Samar Tariq Bucklain
Background: Medical emergencies in schools require rapid and effective intervention, with teachers typically serving as first responders. However, inadequacies in first-aid expertise among school staff may threaten student safety. This study assesses the first-aid knowledge and attitudes of teachers and administrators in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to identify areas for improvement and inform policy recommendations. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 367 school workers (220 female, 147 male) among public, private, and international schools in Jeddah. A validated bilingual questionnaire assessed participants’ knowledge and attitudes about addressing common school emergencies, including diabetes, epilepsy, and injuries. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis. Results: While 98.9% of participants were familiar with first-aid concepts, only 49.3% had formal training. Knowledge was strongest in diabetes management (86.1% recognized hyperglycemia risks; 97% knew insulin is administered) but inadequate in epilepsy care (64.3% incorrectly believed seizures always necessitate hospitalization) and injury response (only 45.2% correctly identified improper ankle sprain care). Notably, 46.9% expressed uncertainty about their first-aid skills, and 98.6% advocated for required training. Conclusion: Despite the widespread awareness, important gaps in practical first-aid knowledge continue among Jeddah’s school staff, underlining the necessity for regular, recurrent training programs. Policymakers should prioritize required first-aid instruction to improve emergency readiness and student safety
Keywords: School, emergency, first aid, knowledge, attitude, teachers.
Authors
Correspondence to:
Ahmad Mahmoud Wazzan, King Saud bin Abdulaziz university for health Sciences dramwaz@hotmail.com
Publication history:
Received 07 Jan 2025
Revised 21 May 2025
Accepted 02 Jun 2025
Published online 29 Sep 2025
Published in print 12 Nov 2025
Wazzan AM, Albulushi AM, Badawood AA, Alqurashi AN, Alshehri JA, Bucklain ST. Knowledge and attitude of school teachers about common medical emergencies in the school setting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. SJEMed. 2025; 6(3): 218-229. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed.72-1736161952
Wazzan AM, Albulushi AM, Badawood AA, Alqurashi AN, Alshehri JA, Bucklain ST. Knowledge and attitude of school teachers about common medical emergencies in the school setting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. https://sjemed.com/?mno=236322 [Access: December 18, 2025]. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed.72-1736161952
Wazzan AM, Albulushi AM, Badawood AA, Alqurashi AN, Alshehri JA, Bucklain ST. Knowledge and attitude of school teachers about common medical emergencies in the school setting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. SJEMed. 2025; 6(3): 218-229. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed.72-1736161952
Wazzan AM, Albulushi AM, Badawood AA, Alqurashi AN, Alshehri JA, Bucklain ST. Knowledge and attitude of school teachers about common medical emergencies in the school setting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. SJEMed. (2025), [cited December 18, 2025]; 6(3): 218-229. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed.72-1736161952
Wazzan, A. M., Albulushi, . A. M., Badawood, . A. A., Alqurashi, . A. N., Alshehri, . J. A. & Bucklain, . S. T. (2025) Knowledge and attitude of school teachers about common medical emergencies in the school setting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. SJEMed, 6 (3), 218-229. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed.72-1736161952
Wazzan, Ahmad Mahmoud, Adham Mohammed Albulushi, Abdulrahman Abdullah Badawood, Alwaleed Nasser Alqurashi, Jomanah Abdullah Alshehri, and Samar Tariq Bucklain. 2025. Knowledge and attitude of school teachers about common medical emergencies in the school setting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine, 6 (3), 218-229. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed.72-1736161952
Wazzan, Ahmad Mahmoud, Adham Mohammed Albulushi, Abdulrahman Abdullah Badawood, Alwaleed Nasser Alqurashi, Jomanah Abdullah Alshehri, and Samar Tariq Bucklain. "Knowledge and attitude of school teachers about common medical emergencies in the school setting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia." Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine 6 (2025), 218-229. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed.72-1736161952
Wazzan, Ahmad Mahmoud, Adham Mohammed Albulushi, Abdulrahman Abdullah Badawood, Alwaleed Nasser Alqurashi, Jomanah Abdullah Alshehri, and Samar Tariq Bucklain. "Knowledge and attitude of school teachers about common medical emergencies in the school setting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia." Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine 6.3 (2025), 218-229. Print. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed.72-1736161952
Wazzan, A. M., Albulushi, . A. M., Badawood, . A. A., Alqurashi, . A. N., Alshehri, . J. A. & Bucklain, . S. T. (2025) Knowledge and attitude of school teachers about common medical emergencies in the school setting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine, 6 (3), 218-229. doi:
10.24911/SJEMed.72-1736161952