Quality Of Basic Life Support Research Articles

Augmented reality training in basic life support with the help of smart glasses. A pilot study

IntroductionLaypeople should be trained in basic life support and traditional and innovative methodologies may help to obtain this goal. However, there is a knowledge gap about the ideal basic life support training methods. Smart glasses could have a role facilitating laypeople learning of basic life support. AimTo analyze the potential impact on basic life support learning of a very brief training supported by smart glasses video communication. MethodsTwelve laypeople were basic life support tele-trained by means of smart glasses by an instructor in this pilot study. During training (assisted trough smart glasses) and after the training (unassisted) participants’ performance and quality of basic life support and automated external defibrillation procedure were assessed on a standardized simulated scenario. ResultsAfter the training all participants were able to deliver good quality basic life support, with results comparable to those obtained when real time remotely guided by the instructor through the smart glasses. Mean chest compression rate was significantly higher when not guided (113 /min vs. 103 /min, p = 0.001). When not assisted, the participants spent less time delivering the sequential basic life support steps than when assisted while training. ConclusionsA very brief remote training supported by instructor and smart glasses seems to be an effective educational method that could facilitate basic life support learning by laypeople. This technology could be considered in cases where instructors are not locally available or in general in remote areas, providing basic internet connection is available. Smart glasses could also be useful for laypeople rolling-refreshers.

Virtual reality as a teaching method for resuscitation training in undergraduate first year medical students during COVID-19 pandemic: a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundVirtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated simulation technique which yields plenty of benefits and its application in medical education is growing. This study explored the effectiveness of a VR Basic Life Support (BLS) training compared to a web-based training during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which face-to-face trainings were disrupted or reduced.MethodsThis randomised, double-blinded, controlled study, enrolled 1st year medical students. The control group took part in web-based BLS training, the intervention group received an additional individual VR BLS training. The primary endpoint was the no-flow time-an indicator for the quality of BLS-, assessed during a structural clinical examination, in which also the overall quality of BLS (secondary outcome) was rated. The tertiary outcome was the learning gain of the undergraduates, assessed with a comparative self-assessment (CSA).ResultsData from 88 undergraduates (n = 46 intervention- and n = 42 control group) were analysed. The intervention group had a significant lower no-flow time (p = .009) with a difference between the two groups of 28% (95%-CI [8%;43%]). The overall BLS performance of the intervention group was also significantly better than the control group with a mean difference of 15.44 points (95%-CI [21.049.83]), p < .001. In the CSA the undergraduates of the intervention group reported a significant higher learning gain.ConclusionVR proved to be effective in enhancing process quality of BLS, therefore, the integration of VR into resuscitation trainings should be considered. Further research needs to explore which combination of instructional designs leads to deliberate practice and mastery learning of BLS.

Enseñanza de las maniobras de soporte vital básico en alumnos de un ciclo formativo, ¿se mantiene la calidad de las maniobras en el tiempo?

ObjectiveTo evaluate the quality of basic life support after a standardized training process and study their short-term evolution. Materials and methodsExperimental study with students from the training cycles of Higher Technician in Physical Conditioning and Higher Technician in Teaching and Socio-Sports Animation of the Colegio de la Trinidad from Córdoba. An initial evaluation is carried out, an evaluation of 15 days after training and another 30 days later; consisting of an evaluation by a theoretical test, and a practical evaluation of 2min of CPR. For the development of practical evaluations, we used the Resusci Anne® QCPR simulator. The main outcome variable is the global percentage of CPR obtained using the SimPad SkillReporter®. ResultsWe study 45 students, 71.1% of them male. Statistically significant differences are observed in the total theoretical score of the initial evaluation and the 15 days evaluation (7.81 vs. 6.82 points; P<.0001), and between the 15-day and 30-day evaluation (6.82 vs. 7.66 points; P<.0001); and in the overall percentage of CPR between the initial evaluation and the 15-day evaluation (27 vs. 49 points; P=.008) and between the initial evaluation and the 30 days evaluation (27 vs. 6.15 points; P<.0001). ConclusionsThe CPR quality improves after training, being close to the quality standards established by the ERC.

The effect of airway management on CPR quality in the PARAMEDIC2 randomised controlled trial

IntroductionGood quality basic life support (BLS) is associated with improved outcome from cardiac arrest. Chest compression fraction (CCF) is a BLS quality indicator, which may be influenced by the type of airway used. We aimed to assess CCF according to the airway strategy in the PARAMEDIC2 study: no advanced airway, supraglottic airway (SGA), tracheal intubation, or a combination of the two. Our hypothesis was that tracheal intubation was associated with a decrease in the CCF compared with alternative airway management strategies. MethodsPARAMEDIC2 was a multicentre double-blinded placebo-controlled trial of adrenaline vs placebo in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Data showing compression rate and ratio from patients recruited by London Ambulance Service (LAS) as part of this study was collated and analysed according to the advanced airway used during the resuscitation attempt. ResultsCPR process data were available from 286/ 2058 (13.9%) of the total patients recruited by LAS. The mean compression rate for the first 5 min of data recording was the same in all groups (P = 0.272) and ranged from 104.2 (95% CI of mean: 100.5, 107.8) min−1 to 108.0 (95% CI of mean: 105.1, 108.3) min−1. The mean compression fraction was also similar across all groups (P = 0.159) and ranged between 74.7% and 78.4%. There was no difference in the compression rates and fractions across the airway management groups, regardless of the duration of CPR. ConclusionThere was no significant difference in the compression fraction associated with the airway management strategy.

The impact of a high-quality basic life support police-based first responder system on outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

BackgroundLaypersons’ efforts to initiate basic life support (BLS) in witnessed Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) remain comparably low within western society. Therefore, in order to shorten no-flow times in cardiac arrest, several police-based first responder systems equipped with automated external defibrillators (Pol-AED) were established in urban areas, which subsequently allow early BLS and AED administration by police officers. However, data on the quality of BLS and AED use in such a system and its impact on patient outcome remain scarce and inconclusive.MethodsA total of 85 Pol-AED cases were randomly assigned to a gender, age and first rhythm matched non-Pol-AED control group (n = 170) in a 1:2 ratio. Data on quality of BLS were extracted via trans-thoracic impedance tracings of used AED devices.ResultsComparing Pol-AED cases and the control group, we observed a similar compression rate per minute (p = 0.677) and compression ratio (p = 0.651), mirroring an overall high quality of BLS administered by police officers. Time to the first shock was significantly shorter in Pol-AED cases (6 minutes [IQR: 2–10] vs. 12 minutes [IQR: 8–17]; p<0.001). While Pol-AED was not associated with increased sustained return of spontaneous circulation (p = 0.564), a strong and independent impact on survival until hospital discharge (adj. OR: 1.85 [95%CI: 1.06–3.23; p = 0.030]) and a borderline significance for the association with favorable neurological outcome (adj. OR: 1.58 [95%CI: 0.96–2.89; p = 0.052) were observed.ConclusionWe were able to demonstrate an early start and a high quality of BLS and AED use in Pol-AED assessed OHCA cases. Moreover, the presence of Pol-AED care was associated with better patient survival and borderline significance for favorable neurological outcome.

Basic life support training using shared mental models improves team performance of first responders on normal wards: A randomised controlled simulation trial

IntroductionSurvival of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) depends on fast and effective action of the first responding team. Not only technical skills, but professional teamwork is required. Observational studies and theoretical models suggest that shared mental models of members improve teamwork. This study investigated if a training on shared mental models, improves team performance in simulated in-hospital cardiac arrest. MethodsOn the background of an introduction of mandatory Basic Life Support (BLS) training for clinical staff a randomized controlled trial was performed to compare two training methods. Staff from clinical departments was randomised to receive either a conventional instructor led training (control group) or an interventional training (intervention group). The interventional training was based on self-directed learning of the group in order to develop shared mental models. Primary outcome were mean scores of the team assessment scale (TAS) and the hands-off time. Secondary outcome were mean scores for quality of BLS. ResultsPerformance of 75 teams of the interventional and 66 of the control group was analysed. The hands-off time was significantly lower in the interventional group (5.42% vs. 8.85%, p = 0.029). Scores of the TAS and the overall BLS score were high and not significantly different between the groups. Hands-off time correlated significantly negative with all TAS items. ConclusionBLS training for clinical staff which creates shared mental models reduces hands-off time in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario. Training methods establishing shared mental models of team members can be considered for effective team trainings without adding additional training time.

Medical students perform basic life support skills in a simulated scenario better using a 4-stage teaching approach compared to conventional training

Introduction. Cardiopulmonary resuscita-tion is influenced by the quality of basic life support (BLS). The primary objective of our study was to compare efficiency in the acquisition of BLS skills using conven-tional training and the 4-stage approach as a teaching method for BLS training. Methods. In a prospective, randomised, 2-parallel group study, 266 first year medi-cal students were randomised to either conventional training or the 4-stage ap-proach using 2000 and 2005 ERC (Euro-pean Resuscitation Council) guidelines. The students were tested immediately after receiving training.&nbsp;Three ERC-certified instructors assessed BLS skills using video recordings.Results. The students who were taught according to the 4-stage approach using 2000 guidelines preformed significantly better in the following steps: calls for help (p&lt;0.01), opens the airway (p&lt;0.01), plac-es hands for chest compression correctly (p&lt;0.01) and performs chest compressions correctly (p&lt;0.01), while using 2005 guide-lines, only chest compression hand posi-tion improved significantly in the 4-stage teaching group (p&lt;0.01).Conclusions. The 4-stage approach im-proved the efficiency of several steps of the BLS algorithm and the ability to follow the algorithm in the correct sequence us-ing 2000 ERC guidelines, while in students using the 2005 ERC guidelines only chest compression hand position improved significantly. Students who were taught according to 2000 ERC guidelines had significantly better hand position than students who were taught according to 2005 guidelines, independent of teaching method used.

The Impact of Monitoring on the Initiation of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Children: Friend or Foe?

The immediate initiation and high quality of basic life support (BLS) are pivotal to improving patient outcome after cardiac arrest. Although cardiorespiratory monitoring could shorten the time to recognize the onset of cardiac arrest, little is known about how monitoring and the misinterpretation of monitor readings could impair the initiation of BLS. In this study, we assessed the speed of initiation and quality of BLS in simulated monitored and nonmonitored pediatric cardiac arrest. Sixty residents frequently involved in the care of critically ill children were randomly assigned to either the intervention (monitoring) group or the control (nonmonitoring) group. Participants of both groups performed BLS in 1 of 2 clinically identical, unwitnessed simulated cardiac arrest scenarios. Although in 1 scenario cardiorespiratory monitoring (i.e., electrocardiogram) was attached, the other scenario reflected a nonmonitored cardiac arrest. Time to first chest compression was chosen as the primary outcome variable. Adherence to resuscitation guidelines and subjective performance ratings were secondary outcome variables. Participants in the monitoring group initiated chest compressions significantly later than those in the nonmonitoring group (91 ± 36 vs 71 ± 26 seconds, hazard ratio, 0.26; 95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.49, P < 0.001). Six members of the monitoring group did not start chest compression within 5 minutes. Furthermore, adherence to the guidelines was better in the nonmonitoring group. Participants who were previously involved in BLS training did not show better performance. The presence of cardiorespiratory monitoring significantly delayed or even prevented the initiation of chest compressions and impaired the quality of BLS in simulated pediatric cardiac arrest. Based on these data, specific training should be conducted for exposed personnel.

Le deuxième cycle des études médicales prépare-t-il les étudiants hospitaliers à leurs fonctions d’internes ? Exemple de l’arrêt cardiaque de l’enfant

Medical schools aim to prepare medical students for their residency responsibilities. However, in France, there is no assessment of medical students' skills when they start their residency. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of basic life support delivered by first-year residents in pediatrics during a simulated pediatric cardiopulmonary arrest. First-year residents in pediatrics were assessed during a simulated pediatric cardiopulmonary arrest. Their performance score (based on adherence to international guidelines) and no-flow and no-blow fractions were recorded. Forty-two first-year residents were evaluated. Their median performance score was 4out of 13. No-blow and no-flow fractions were 55and 81%, respectively. There was no correlation between their skills and their knowledge assessed during the national ranking exam at the end of the 6th year of medical school. At the beginning of their residency, pediatric residents are not able to properly provide basic life support. The introduction of simulation in French medical schools may be an effective way to improve their skills.

Quality of Basic Life Support - A Comparison between Medical Students and Paramedics.

Poor survival rates after cardiac arrest can partly be explained by poor basic life support skills in medical professionals. This study aimed to assess quality of basic life support in medical students and paramedics. We conducted a prospective observational study with 100 early medical students (group A), 100 late medical students (group B) and 100 paramedics (group C), performing a 20-minute basic life support simulation in teams of two. Average frequency and absolute number of chest compressions per minute (mean (±SD)), chest decompression (millimetres of compression remaining, mean (±SD)), hands-off-time (seconds/minute, mean (±SD)), frequency of switching positions between ventilation and chest compression (per 20 minutes) and rate of sufficient compressions (depth ≥50mm) were assessed as quality parameters of CPR. In groups A, B and C the rates of sufficiently deep chest compressions were 56%, 42% and 52%, respectively, without significant differences. Male gender and real-life CPR experience were significantly associated with deeper chest compression. Frequency and number of chest compressions were within recommended goals in at least 96% of all groups. Remaining chest compressions were 6 mm (±2), 6 mm (±2) and 5 mm (±2) with a significant difference between group A and C (p=0.017). Hands-off times were 6s/min (±1), 5s/min (±1) and 4s/min (±1), which was significantly different across all three groups. Overall, paramedics tended to show better quality of CPR compared to medical students. Though, chest compression depth as an important quality characteristic of CPR was insufficient in almost 50% of participants, even in well trained paramedics. Therefore, we suggest that an effort should be made to find better ways to educate health care professionals in BLS.

Quality of basic life support when using different commercially available public access defibrillators.

BackgroundBasic life support (BLS) guidelines focus on chest compressions with a minimal no-flow fraction (NFF), early defibrillation, and a short perishock pause. By using an automated external defibrillator (AED) lay persons are guided through the process of attaching electrodes and initiating defibrillation. It is unclear, however, to what extent the voice instructions given by the AED might influence the quality of initial resuscitation.MethodsUsing a patient simulator, 8 different commercially available AEDs were evaluated within two different BLS scenarios (ventricular fibrillation vs. asystole). A BLS certified instructor acted according to the current European Resuscitation Council 2010 Guidelines and followed all of the AED voice prompts. In a second set of scenarios, the rescuer anticipated the appropriate actions and started already before the AED stopped speaking. A BLS scenario without AED served as the control. All scenarios were run three times.ResultsThe time until the first chest compression was 25 ± 2 seconds without the AED and ranged from 50 ± 3 to 148 ± 13 seconds with the AED depending on the model used. The NFF was .26 ± .01 without the AED and between .37 ± .01 and .72 ± .01 when an AED was used. The perishock pause ranged from 12 ± 0 to 46 ± 0 seconds. The optimized sequence of actions reduced the NFF, which ranged now from .32 ± .01 to .41 ± .01, and the perishock pause ranging from 1 ± 1 to 19 ± 1 seconds.ConclusionsVoice prompts given by commercially available AED merely meet the requirements of current evidence in basic life support. Furthermore, there is a significant difference between devices with regard to time until the first chest compression, perishock pause, no-flow fraction and other objective measures of the quality of BLS. However, the BLS quality may be improved with optimized handling of the AED. Thus, rescuers should be trained on the respective AED devices, and manufacturers should expend more effort in improving user guidance to shorten the NFF and perishock pause.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13049-015-0123-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Improper bystander-performed basic life support in cardiac arrests managed with public automated external defibrillators

AimThe aim of the study was to determine the quality of basic life support (BLS) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) receiving bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and public automated external defibrillator (AED) application. MethodsFrom January 2006 to December 2012, data were prospectively collected from OHCA) and impending cardiac arrests treated with and without public AED before emergency medical technician (EMT) arrival. Basic life support actions and outcomes were compared between cases with and without public AED application. Interruptions of CPR were compared between 2 groups of AED users: health care provider (HCP) and non-HCP. ResultsPublic AEDs were applied in 10 and 273 cases of impending cardiac arrest and non–EMT-witnessed OHCAs, respectively (4.3% of 6407 non–EMT-witnessed OHCAs). Defibrillation was delivered to 33 (13.3%) cases. Public AED application significantly improved the rate of 1-year neurologically favorable survival in bystander CPR–performed cases with shockable initial rhythm but not in those with nonshockable rhythm. Emergency calls were significantly delayed compared with other OHCAs without public AED application (median: 3 and 2 minutes, respectively; P < .0001). Analysis of AED records obtained from 136 (54.6%) of the 249 cases with AED application revealed significantly lower rate of compressions delivered per minute and significantly greater proportion of CPR pause in the non-HCP group. Time interval between power on and the first electrocardiographic analysis widely varied in both groups and was significantly prolonged in the non-HCP group (P = .0137). ConclusionsImproper BLS responses were common in OHCAs treated with public AEDs. Periodic training for proper BLS is necessary for both HCPs and non-HCPs.

Energy expenditure of compression-only basic life support versus 30:2 – Simulation study

Purpose of the study: One of the factors that may affect the quality of basic life support (BLS) is its energy expenditure. Therefore, we performed the study to compare energy expenditure of standard BLS with compression–ventilation ratio 30:2 (S-BLS) and compression-only BLS (CO-BLS) and assess sensation of fatigue and perceived exertion associated with these activities.

Mechanische Reanimationshilfen

In Germany 100,000-160,000 people suffer from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) annually. The incidence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after OHCA varies between emergency ambulance services but is in the range of 30-90 CPR attempts per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Basic life support (BLS) involving chest compressions and ventilation is the key measure of resuscitation. Rapid initiation and quality of BLS are the most critical factors for CPR success. Even healthcare professionals are not always able to ensure the quality of CPR measures. Consequently in recent years mechanical resuscitation devices have been developed to optimize chest compression and the resulting circulation. In this article the mechanical resuscitation devices currently available in Germany are discussed and evaluated scientifically in context with available literature. The ANIMAX CPR device should not be used outside controlled trials as no clinical results have so far been published. The same applies to the new device Corpuls CPR which will be available on the market in early 2014. Based on the current published data a general recommendation for the routine use of LUCAS™ and AutoPulse® CPR cannot be given. The preliminary data of the CIRC trial and the published data of the LINC trial revealed that mechanical CPR is apparently equivalent to good manual CPR. For the final assessment further publications of large randomized studies must be analyzed (e.g. the CIRC and PaRAMeDIC trials). However, case control studies, case series and small studies have already shown that in special situations and in some cases patients will benefit from the automatic mechanical resuscitation devices (LUCAS™, AutoPulse®). This applies especially to emergency services where standard CPR quality is far below average and for patients who require prolonged CPR under difficult circumstances. This might be true in cases of resuscitation due to hypothermia, intoxication and pulmonary embolism as well as for patients requiring transport or coronary intervention when cardiac arrest persists. Three prospective randomized studies and the resulting meta-analysis are available for active compression-decompression resuscitation (ACD-CPR) in combination with an impedance threshold device (ITD). These studies compared ACD-ITD-CPR to standard CPR and clearly demonstrated that ACD-ITD-CPR is superior to standard CPR concerning short and long-term survival with good neurological recovery after OHCA.

Comparing three CPR feedback devices and standard BLS in a single rescuer scenario: A randomised simulation study

BackgroundEfficiently performed basic life support (BLS) after cardiac arrest is proven to be effective. However, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is strenuous and rescuers’ performance declines rapidly over time. Audio-visual feedback devices reporting CPR quality may prevent this decline. We aimed to investigate the effect of various CPR feedback devices on CPR quality. MethodsIn this open, prospective, randomised, controlled trial we compared three CPR feedback devices (PocketCPR®, CPRmeter®, iPhone app PocketCPR®) with standard BLS without feedback in a simulated scenario. 240 trained medical students performed single rescuer BLS on a manikin for 8min. Effective compression (compressions with correct depth, pressure point and sufficient decompression) as well as compression rate, flow time fraction and ventilation parameters were compared between the four groups. ResultsStudy participants using the PocketCPR® performed 17±19% effective compressions compared to 32±28% with CPRmeter®, 25±27% with the iPhone app PocketCPR®, and 35±30% applying standard BLS (PocketCPR® vs. CPRmeter®p=0.007, PocketCPR® vs. standard BLS p=0.001, others: ns). PocketCPR® and CPRmeter® prevented a decline in effective compression over time, but overall performance in the PocketCPR® group was considerably inferior to standard BLS. Compression depth and rate were within the range recommended in the guidelines in all groups. ConclusionWhile we found differences between the investigated CPR feedback devices, overall BLS quality was suboptimal in all groups. Surprisingly, effective compression was not improved by any CPR feedback device compared to standard BLS. All feedback devices caused substantial delay in starting CPR, which may worsen outcome.

Comparison of the quality of basic life support provided by rescuers trained using the 2005 or 2010 ERC guidelines

IntroductionEffective delivery of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and prompt defibrillation following sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is vital. Updated guidelines for adult basic life support (BLS) were published in 2010 by the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) in an effort to improve survival following SCA. There has been little assessment of the ability of rescuers to meet the standards outlined within these new guidelines.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of the performance of first year healthcare students trained and assessed using either the new 2010 ERC guidelines or their 2005 predecessor, within the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. All students were trained as lay rescuers during a standardised eight hour ERC-accredited adult BLS course.ResultsWe analysed the examination records of 1091 students. Of these, 561 were trained and assessed using the old 2005 ERC guidelines and 530 using the new 2010 guidelines. A significantly greater proportion of candidates failed in the new guideline group (16.04% vs. 11.05%; p < 0.05), reflecting a significantly greater proportion of lay-rescuers performing chest compressions at too fast a rate when trained and assessed with the 2010 rather than 2005 guidelines (6.04% vs. 2.67%; p < 0.05). Error rates for other skills did not differ between guideline groups.ConclusionsThe new ERC guidelines lead to a greater proportion of lay rescuers performing chest compressions at an erroneously fast rate and may therefore worsen BLS efficacy. Additional study is required in order to define the clinical impact of compressions performed to a greater depth and at too fast a rate.

Laerdal MiniAnne with a counting device: does it improve performance?

The Laerdal MiniAnne personal resuscitation manikin with a self-instruction video can effectively teach lay persons basic life support (BLS) in less than 30 minutes [1]. The aim of this study was to assess if the quality of BLS could be improved by adding a counting device to the manikin. The aim of the counting device, which counts the number of correct chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth (MTM) ventilations during two minutes, is to give feedback and thereby improve performance.

Determinants of the quality of basic life support by hospital nurses

Good quality basic life support (BLS) results in better survival. BLS is a core competence of nurses but despite regular refresher training, the quality of BLS is often poor and the reasons for this are not well known. We therefore investigated the relation between BLS quality and some of its potential determinants. During a BLS refresher course, 296 nurses from non-critical care wards completed a questionnaire including demographic data and a "self-confidence" score. Subsequently, they performed a BLS test on a manikin connected to a PC using Skillreporting System software (Laerdal, Norway). The following variables were recorded: number of ventilations/min, tidal volume, number of compressions/min, compression rate, compression depth, "good ventilation" (n >or=4 min(-1) and tidal volume=700-1000 ml) and "good compression" (n >or=40 min(-1) and rate=80-120 min(-1) and compression depth=40-50mm). To detect independent determinants of BLS quality, associations between the demographic data and the objective variables of BLS quality were examined. Forty-three percent of the nurses rated their confidence as good or very good. Male gender was associated with good compression (P<0.001). Greater self-confidence was also associated with good ventilation (P<0.03) and with good compression (P<0.001). A short time since last BLS training was associated with a higher number of ventilations/min (P=0.01). A short time since last experience of CPR was associated with a higher number of compressions (P<0.01). Male gender, greater self-confidence, recent BLS training and recent CPR were associated with better quality of BLS.

Quality of chest compressions during 10 min of single-rescuer basic life support with different compression: ventilation ratios in a manikin model

Good quality basic life support (BLS) improves outcome during cardiac arrest. As fatigue may reduce BLS performance over time we wanted to examine the quality of chest compressions in a single-rescuer scenario during prolonged BLS with different compression:ventilation ratios (C:V ratios). Professional paramedics were asked to perform single-rescuer BLS with C:V ratios of 15:2, 30:2 and 50:2 for 10 min each in random order. A Laerdal Medical Resusci Anne Simulator with PC Skillreporting System was used for BLS quality analysis. Total number of chest compressions, compression depth and compression rate were measured and the differences between the C:V ratios were analysed with repeated measures ANOVA. For analysis of fatigue, chest compression variables for each 2-min period were analysed and compared with the first 2-min period using repeated measures ANOVA. Altogether 50 paramedics completed the study. The mean number of chest compressions increased significantly from 604 to 770 and 862 with C:V ratios of 15:2, 30:2 and 50:2, respectively. Chest compression rate was significantly higher with C:V ratio of 15:2 compared to 30:2 and 50:2 but was above 100 per minute for all three ratios. However, the mean chest compression depth did not change significantly between the different C:V ratios. The number of chest compressions did not change significantly with time for any of the three C:V ratios. Compression depth did decline after the first 2-min period for 30:2 and 50:2 as did compression rate for all three ratios. However all were above the guideline limits for the entire test period. Increasing the C:V ratio increases the number of chest compressions during 10 min of BLS. Compression depth and compression rate were within guideline recommendations for all three ratios. We found no decline in chest compression quality below guideline recommendations during 10 min of BLS with any of the three different C:V ratios.

Abstract 108: Effect of a Medical Decision Support Device on Quality of Basic Life Support

Background: As cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) can occur anywhere, laypersons may need to initiate CPR. However, recent literature reveals the quality of basic life support (BLS) provided during CPA is poor. There is increasing interest in whether devices can support laypeople, as well as others, to manage medical emergencies. Methods: We performed a prospective, randomized, controlled trial of simulated out of hospital CPA in which each subject was asked to manage a standardized event using the Laerdal Resusci-Anne simulator. A study member played a second rescuer to help as directed. The intervention was a device with audiovisual prompts designed to assist with decision making. Study subjects included laypeople and nursing and medical students. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of subjects who performed compressions and ventilations at a 30:2 ratio. Secondary outcome measures were proportion of subjects who insisted on switching roles with the second rescuer after 2 minutes and other measures of quality BLS. Results: Thirty-one subjects were enrolled, 16 in the intervention arm and 15 in the control arm, with similar baseline characteristics. Subjects in the intervention arm were more likely to perform compressions to ventilations at a ratio of 30:2 than controls, [15/16 (94%) vs. 4/15 (27%), p&lt;0.001], even with stratification by rescuer background: laypeople [8/9 (89%) vs. 0/4 (0%), p=0.02], medical or nursing student [7/7 (100%) vs. 4/11 (36%), p=0.01]. Intervention subjects were also more likely to insist that the second rescuer switch roles with them than controls, [12/16 (75%) vs. 2/15 (13%), p=0.001]. However, there was a delay in mean time (± standard deviation) to initiation of compressions in the intervention arm, [159.5 (±53) vs. 78.2 (± 20) seconds, p &lt; 0.001] and the no-flow fraction was very high in both arms, [72.2% (± 0.1) vs. 75.4 (± 0.8), p = 0.35]. Conclusions: The device resulted in a behavior change as intervention subjects were more likely to perform 30:2 and switch providers. Unfortunately, the device slowed the initial response time. These results are promising, but future studies should concentrate on decreasing latency time, periods without compressions and possible incorporation into automated external defibrillators.