Employment and residential characteristics in relation to automated external defibrillator locations.

BACKGROUND: Survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is generally poor and varies by geography. Variability in automated external defibrillator (AED) locations may be a contributing factor. To inform optimal placement of AEDs, we investigated AED access in a major US city relative to demographic and employment characteristics. METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a retrospective analysis of a Philadelphia AED registry (2,559 total AEDs). The 2010 US Census and the Local Employment Dynamics database by ZIP code was used. Automated external defibrillator access was calculated as the weighted areal percentage of each ZIP code covered by a 400-m radius around each AED. Of 47 ZIP codes, only 9% (4) were high-AED-service areas. In 26% (12) of ZIP codes, less than 35% of the area was covered by AED service areas. Higher-AED-access ZIP codes were more likely to have a moderately populated residential area (P = .032), higher median household income (P = .006), and higher paying jobs (P =. 008). CONCLUSIONS: The locations of AEDs vary across specific ZIP codes; select residential and employment characteristics explain some variation. Further work on evaluating OHCA locations, AED use and availability, and OHCA outcomes could inform AED placement policies. Optimizing the placement of AEDs through this work may help to increase survival.

Hidden in plain sight: a crowdsourced public art contest to make automated external defibrillators more visible.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to explore the feasibility of using a crowdsourcing study to promote awareness about automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and their locations. METHODS: The Defibrillator Design Challenge was an online initiative that asked the public to create educational designs that would enhance AED visibility, which took place over 8 weeks, from February 6, 2014, to April 6, 2014. Participants were encouraged to vote for AED designs and share designs on social media for points. Using a mixed-methods study design, we measured participant demographics and motivations, design characteristics, dissemination, and Web site engagement. RESULTS: Over 8 weeks, there were 13 992 unique Web site visitors; 119 submitted designs and 2140 voted. The designs were shared 48 254 times on Facebook and Twitter. Most designers-voters reported that they participated to contribute to an important cause (44%) rather than to win money (0.8%). Design themes included: empowerment, location awareness, objects (e.g., wings, lightning, batteries, lifebuoys), and others. CONCLUSIONS: The Defibrillator Design Challenge engaged a broad audience to generate AED designs and foster awareness. This project provides a framework for using design and contest architecture to promote health messages.

Evaluation of multidisciplinary simulation training on clinical performance and team behavior during tracheal intubation procedures in a pediatric intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: Tracheal intubation in the pediatric intensive care unit is often performed in emergency situations with high risks. Simulation has been recognized as an effective methodology to train both technical and teamwork skills. Our objectives were to develop a feasible tool to evaluate team performance during tracheal intubation in the pediatric intensive care unit and to apply the tool in the clinical setting to determine whether multidisciplinary teams with a higher number of simulation-trained providers exhibit more proficient performance. DESIGN: Prospective, observational pilot study. SETTING: Single tertiary children's hospital pediatric intensive care unit. SUBJECTS: Pediatric and emergency medicine residents, pediatric intensive care unit nurses, and respiratory therapists from October 2007 to June 2008. INTERVENTIONS: A pediatric intensive care unit on-call resident, a pediatric intensive care unit nurse, and a respiratory therapist received simulation-based multidisciplinary airway management training every morning. An assessment tool for team technical and behavioral skills was developed. Independent trained observers rated actual intubations in the pediatric intensive care unit by using this tool. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: For observer training, two independent raters (research assistants 1 and 2) evaluated a total of 53 training sessions (research assistant 1, 16; research assistant 2, 37). The correlation coefficient with the facilitator expert (surrogate standard) was .73 for research assistant 1 and .88 for research assistant 2 (p ≤ .001 for both) in the total score, .84 for research assistant 1 and .77 for research assistant 2 (p < .001 for both) in the technical domain, and .63 for research assistant 1 (p = .009) and .84 for research assistant 2 (p < .001) in the behavioral domain. The correlation coefficient was lower in video-based observation (.62 vs. .88, on-site). For clinical observation, 15 intubations were observed in real time by raters. The performance by a team with two or more simulation-trained members was rated higher compared with the team with fewer than two trained members (total score: 127 ± 6 vs. 116 ± 9, p = .012, mean ± sd). CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to rate the technical and behavioral performance of multidisciplinary airway management teams during real intensive care unit intubation events by using our assessment tool. The presence of two or more multidisciplinary simulation-trained providers is associated with improved performance during real events.

A randomized comparison of the GlideScope videolaryngoscope to the standard laryngoscopy for intubation by pediatric residents in simulated easy and difficult infant airway scenarios.

BACKGROUND: Videolaryngoscopy has been developed mainly to assist difficult airway intubation. However, there is a lack of studies demonstrating the real efficacy of its use in children. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that GlideScope (Verathon Inc, Bothell, Wash) videolaryngoscope improves tracheal intubation when used by pediatric residents in an advanced patient simulation model. METHODS: Pediatric residents who passed a pediatric advanced life support course were eligible for the study. An advanced infant simulator was used, and 4 scenarios were proposed: normal airway (NA), tongue edema (TE), tongue edema and oropharyngeal edema, and cervical collar. No participant had prior experience with any videolaryngoscope. After a brief instruction in GlideScope technique, each participant performed the 4 scenarios using both the standard Miller and GlideScope laryngoscopes, in a random sequence. RESULTS: Sixteen residents were included. The number of failed intubations was higher with GlideScope in NA and TE scenarios (3 vs 0, in both cases). Mean (SD) time to successful intubation was significantly longer with GlideScope in the NA scenario (GlideScope, 38 [SD, 13] vs Miller, 26 [SD, 16] seconds; P = 0.043). The number of maneuvers was significantly higher with GlideScope in the tongue edema and oropharyngeal edema scenario (2.3 [SD, 1.5] vs 1.5 [SD, 1]; P = 0.04). Upper jaw injury index was significantly lower with GlideScope in NA (2.0 [SD, 1] vs 2.6 [SD, 0.8]; P = 0.008) and cervical collar (2.1 [SD, 1.0] vs 2.8 [SD, 0.5]; P = 0.011) scenarios. Participants considered GlideScope technique more difficult than standard Miller in NA (5 [SD, 2.0] vs 3 [SD, 1.3]; P = 0.04) and TE (5.9 [SD, 2.5] vs 3.9 [SD, 1.7]; P = 0.02) scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: In simulated scenarios of infant NA and difficult airway, when used by pediatric residents, GlideScope did not improve intubation performance when compared with the standard laryngoscope. Nevertheless, GlideScope may be safer for upper jaw injury and could have advantages in the management of complicated airway. Further studies are needed to assess if specific training will improve GlideScope intubation performance and whether the "in simulator" results translate into clinical practice.

The Development and Validation of a Concise Instrument for Formative Assessment of Team Leader Performance During Simulated Pediatric Resuscitations.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the validity of a formative feedback instrument for leaders of simulated resuscitations. METHODS: This is a prospective validation study with a fully crossed (person × scenario × rater) study design. The Concise Assessment of Leader Management (CALM) instrument was designed by pediatric emergency medicine and graduate medical education experts to be used off the shelf to evaluate and provide formative feedback to resuscitation leaders. Four experts reviewed 16 videos of in situ simulated pediatric resuscitations and scored resuscitation leader performance using the CALM instrument. The videos consisted of 4 pediatric emergency department resuscitation teams each performing in 4 pediatric resuscitation scenarios (cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, seizure, and sepsis). We report on content and internal structure (reliability) validity of the CALM instrument. RESULTS: Content validity was supported by the instrument development process that involved professional experience, expert consensus, focused literature review, and pilot testing. Internal structure validity (reliability) was supported by the generalizability analysis. The main component that contributed to score variability was the person (33%), meaning that individual leaders performed differently. The rater component had almost zero (0%) contribution to variance, which implies that raters were in agreement and argues for high interrater reliability. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide initial evidence to support the validity of the CALM instrument as a reliable assessment instrument that can facilitate formative feedback to leaders of pediatric simulated resuscitations.

Use of automated external defibrillators in US federal buildings: implementation of the Federal Occupational Health public access defibrillation program.

OBJECTIVE: Federal Occupational Health (FOH) administers a nationwide public access defibrillation program in US federal buildings. We describe the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in federal buildings and evaluate survival after cardiac arrest. METHODS: Using the FOH database, we examined reported events in which an AED was brought to a medical emergency in federal buildings over a 14-year period, from 1999 to 2012. RESULTS: There were 132 events involving an AED, 96 (73%) of which were due to cardiac arrest of cardiac etiology. Of 54 people who were witnessed to experience a cardiac arrest and presented with ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, 21 (39%) survived to hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Public access defibrillation, along with protocols to install, maintain, and deploy AEDs and train first responders, benefits survival after cardiac arrest in the workplace.

Defibrillation in the movies: a missed opportunity for public health education.

AIM: To characterize defibrillation and cardiac arrest survival outcomes in movies. METHODS: Movies from 2003 to 2012 with defibrillation scenes were reviewed for patient and rescuer characteristics, scene characteristics, defibrillation characteristics, additional interventions, and cardiac arrest survival outcomes. Resuscitation actions were compared with chain of survival actions and the American Heart Association (AHA) Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) 2020 Impact Goals. Cardiac arrest survival outcomes were compared with survival rates reported in the literature and targeted by the AHA ECC 2020 Impact Goals. RESULTS: Thirty-five scenes were identified in 32 movies. Twenty-five (71%) patients were male, and 29 (83%) rescuers were male. Intent of defibrillation was resuscitation in 29 (83%) scenes and harm in 6 (17%) scenes. Cardiac arrest was the indication for use in 23 (66%) scenes, and the heart rhythm was made known in 18 scenes (51%). When the heart rhythm was known, defibrillation was appropriately used for ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation in 5 (28%) scenes and inappropriately used for asystole in 7 (39%) scenes. In 8 scenes with in-hospital cardiac arrest, 7 (88%) patients survived, compared to survival rates of 23.9% reported in the literature and 38% targeted by an AHA ECC 2020 Impact Goal. In 12 movie scenes with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, 8 (67%) patients survived, compared to survival rates of 7.9-9.5% reported in peer-reviewed literature and 15.8% targeted by an AHA ECC 2020 Impact Goal. CONCLUSION: In movies, defibrillation and cardiac arrest survival outcomes are often portrayed inaccurately, representing missed opportunities for public health education.