Awareness and Attitude Towards First Aid Management Among Pharmacy Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: First aid is a critical skill for healthcare professionals, including pharmacy students, who often serve as the first point of contact in medical emergencies. Despite its importance, the extent of first aid knowledge and attitudes among pharmacy students remains underexplored. Aim & Objectives: To assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and perceived barriers related to first aid among pharmacy students, and to evaluate the need for integrating practical first aid training into the curriculum. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 325 pharmacy students using a structured questionnaire covering demographic data, knowledge-based questions, and attitude-related items. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the responses. Results: The majority of participants demonstrated high awareness of basic first aid concepts, with 81.8% agreeing that learning first aid is essential in daily life. However, only 35.5% correctly identified the first step in providing first aid, and scenario-based knowledge was generally low. Attitudes were largely positive, with 86.5% supporting the inclusion of first aid in the academic curriculum. Despite this, 52% found first aid learning complicated, and 33.8% admitted they might hesitate to act even with sufficient knowledge. Conclusion: Although pharmacy students display a strong awareness and positive attitude toward first aid, significant gaps in practical knowledge and confidence persist. These findings highlight the need for structured, hands-on first aid training within pharmacy education to enhance preparedness and emergency response capabilities.