Evaluation of a Cardiopulmonary-Resuscitation Training Manual for Pharmacists

Abstract

The development and evaluation of a training manual for pharmacists participating in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts at an institution encompassing ambulatory-care, acute-care, and emergency-trauma facilities are described. The manual was developed to familiarize pharmacists who had little or no experience in CPR procedures with the equipment and medications used and the pharmacist's role on the CPR team. To evaluate the effectiveness of the manual, a 29-question multiple-choice test was administered to 35 staff pharmacists who were randomly assigned to study and control groups. Training manuals were issued to members of the study group, who were asked to document time spent studying them. Three weeks after the pretest, the same test was administered to all subjects. There was no control on the number of CPR events attended during the three-week period. The study group spent less than two hours (mean +/- S.D. = 97.5 +/- 34.22 min) using the manual. For the study group, posttest scores were significantly higher than pretest scores. The difference in pretest scores for the study and control groups was not significant, but for the posttest the study group scores were significantly higher. Because use of the manual appeared to improve knowledge of drug therapy and procedures used in CPR, the pharmacy department incorporated it into its orientation procedure.