Assessment of basic airway management among paramedic students at the University of Benin teaching hospital: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Basic airway management (BAM) is the cornerstone of pre-hospital care and an expected competence of all paramedics. In Nigeria, paramedic training is relatively young and lacks regulatory oversight to ensure the competence of the workforce. This study assessed the knowledge, self-reported practice, self-reported confidence, and barriers to practice of BAM among paramedic students at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH). Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among paramedic students (2nd to 5th year) at UBTH from September 1 to 14, 2025. Census sampling was used, and a validated questionnaire assessed knowledge (16 items), self-reported practice, self-reported confidence (7-item Likert scale), and barriers to basic airway management. Knowledge scores were categorised as good (>70%), moderate (50-69%), or poor (