ABSTRACT
AIMS: Evaluation of school pupils' resuscitation performance after different types of training relative to the effects of training frequency (annually vs. biannually), starting age (10 vs. 13 years) and facilitator (emergency physician vs. teacher). METHODS: Prospective longitudinal study investigating 433 pupils in training and control groups. Outcome criteria were chest compression depth, compression frequency, ventilation volume, ventilation frequency, self-image and theoretical knowledge. In the training groups, 251 pupils received training annually or biannually either from emergency physicians or CPR-trained teachers. The control group without any training consisted of 182 pupils. RESULTS: Improvements in training vs. control groups were observed in chest compression depth (38 vs. 24 mm), compression frequency (74 vs. 42 min(-1)), ventilation volume (734 ml vs. 21 ml) and ventilation frequency (9/min vs. 0/min). Numbers of correct answers in a written test improved by 20%, vs. 5% in the control group. Pupils starting at age 10 showed practical skills equivalent to those starting at age 13. Theoretical knowledge was better in older pupils. Self-confidence grew in the training groups. Neither more frequent training nor training by emergency physicians led to better performance among the pupils. CONCLUSIONS: Pupils starting at age 10 are able to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation with one annual training course only. After a 60-min CPR-training update, teachers are able to provide courses successfully. Early training reduces anxieties about making mistakes and markedly increases participants' willingness to help. Courses almost doubled the confidence of pupils that what they had learned would enable them to save lives.
Subject(s)
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/education , Educational Measurement , Adolescent , Age Factors , Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/methods , Child , Cohort Studies , Faculty , Female , Germany , Humans , Learning , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Prospective Studies , School Health Services , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The outcome of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) depends on the quality of chest compressions. Current European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines promote the development of feedback systems. However, no studies presenting satisfactory results of feedback use have been published. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with cardiac arrest (> or =18 years of age) received resuscitation attempts using an automated external defibrillator (AED) with real-time feedback by the ambulance service of the City of Münster. The frequency of chest compressions, no-flow time (NFT) and depth of chest compressions were analyzed for the first three cycles of CPR and compared to the ERC guidelines 2005. RESULTS: Chest compression frequency did not differ significantly from the ideal as set out in the guidelines. Analysis of NFTs showed significantly longer NFT for the first cycle but NFT for the second and third cycles did not differ significantly from the ideal. The target depth of 4-5 cm was achieved in 80% of all chest compressions in the first 3 cycles. CONCLUSION: With the AED real-time feedback technology used in this study standardized performance of chest compressions could be maintained in a professional ambulance service. Implementation of a feedback system requires training of ambulance staff.