A summative assessment of theoretical and practical competencies in BLS-AED-An empirical research methodology to obtain quantitative results

Background and objective: The evaluation in basic life support (BLS) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training courses is mostly formative. The objective of the study was to evaluate a quantitative assessment with an established cut-off level of 7 out of 10.Methods: The course was designed in accordance with the European Resuscitation Council (ERC). For the evaluation a high-fidelity manikin was available (Laerdal® Resusci Anne QCPR). A multiple-choice questionnaire (MCQ) was used to test knowledge, and the practical skills with a high-fidelity manikin.Results: About 68.2% and 34.1% obtained a score greater than 7 in knowledge and skills as evaluated by the nurse educator, immediately after the training. When the skills illustrated by the manikin were included, the results fell to 11.4% and 2.3%, respectively.Conclusions: A summative assessment of theoretical and practical competencies with a cut-off level of 7 demonstrates that global competency in BLS-AED is not achieved and some other strategies should be introduced in the current courses.

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New guidelines for resuscitation in adults

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina43010129 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 79

Author(s):

Dinas Vaitkaitis ◽

Vidas Pilvinis ◽

Andrius Pranskūnas ◽

Nedas Jasinskas ◽

Paulius Dobožinskas

Keyword(s):

Basic Life Support ◽

Life Support ◽

Sudden Cardiac Arrest ◽

Heart Association ◽

European Resuscitation Council ◽

Resuscitation Guidelines ◽

New Guidelines ◽

Cardiovascular Care ◽

Foreign Body Airway Obstruction ◽

External Defibrillator

Five years after the last issue of the guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care, in 2005 American Heart Association and European Resuscitation Council published new guidelines. In this review, basic life support (BLS) technique, indications for use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), recognition of sudden cardiac arrest, and management of choking (foreign-body airway obstruction) are presented according to the “Resuscitation Guidelines 2005.”

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Challenges in basic life support and automated external deﬁbrillator training of deaf individuals

10.22514/sv.2021.019 ◽

2021 ◽

Keyword(s):

Basic Life Support ◽

Life Support ◽

Text Message ◽

Automated External Defibrillator ◽

Training Methods ◽

Knowledge Test ◽

Rescue Service ◽

Training Courses ◽

And Performance ◽

External Defibrillator

Objectives: Basic life support (BLS) with the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) is linked to survival of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, the BLS protocol is not tailored to specific needs of the deaf who encounter many challenges during BLS training. Methods: The BLS and AED protocol was modified according to the challenges faced by deaf people. Pre-course BLS and AED knowledge was tested using a questionnaire. After completion of a practical course, each participant was presented with an OHCA scenario using a manikin. Qualitative and quantitative data on BLS and AED performance were collected with a modified Cardiff test and the QCPR mobile application. Results of the knowledge test and performance scores are presented with values and frequencies. Correlations between pre- and post-course BLS and AED knowledge and performance were analyzed and presented with Spearman’s rho. Results: 51 deaf volunteers from seven Slovenian deaf associations participated in the study. The pre-course knowledge test scores were 3.5 points out of 10 and considered low. The rest of the results were also poor. BLS performance using the modified Cardiff test post-course was as follows: 52.9% of the participants used a safe approach, 58.8%checked responsiveness and 51.0% sent a text message to the rescue service. Only 43.1% opened the airway and 49.0% checked initial breathing. 80.4% of deaf rescuers performed chest compressions on the lower half of the sternum and 52.9% compressed with adequate depth. According to the QCPR application the best performance was achieved with a compression score of 61.1% and flow fraction 74.9%. Conclusions: This study shows that a comprehensive and assiduous approach is needed for effective BLS and AED training courses for deaf individuals.

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BLS ERC Certified Greek Providers’ Willingness to Perform CPR and Skill Retention During the Covid-19 Pandemic. A Survey of the Hellenic Society of Cardiology (WG CPR)

10.21203/rs.3.rs-675780/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

George Latsios ◽

Andreas Synetos ◽

Marianna Leopoulou ◽

Evaggelia Stamatopoulou ◽

Panagiotis Koukopoulos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Support ◽

Negative Attitude ◽

Behavioral Changes ◽

European Resuscitation Council ◽

Skill Retention ◽

Electronic Survey ◽

Public Health Organization ◽

National Public Health ◽

Health Organization ◽

External Defibrillator

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate a. the level of established knowledge regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during the Covid-19 pandemic era of certified Basic Life Support (BLS) providers and b. their attitude towards CPR, along with possible misconceptions regarding Covid-19. Methods: Certified BLS providers from courses held in Athens, Greece were asked to complete an electronic survey regarding their knowledge and behavioral changes on performing CPR on victims with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 infection. Their perception on BLS courses was also assessed. Answers were collected during June 2020. Results: Out of 5513 certified providers, 25.53% completed the survey. The majority (83.36%) would provide CPR to an arrest victim with possible or confirmed Covid-19 infection. Regarding the use of an automated external defibrillator, the majority thinks that it is equally safe as in the pre-Covid-19 period (58.24%). Older age (<0.001) and a lower level of education (p<0.001) made rescuers more willing to provide CPR. Exposure to the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) (p<0.001) and to a lesser degree to Greek National Public Health Organization (NPHO) guidelines was also correlated to a less negative attitude towards resuscitation, whereas time since the last BLS seminar had no such impact (p=0.18). All responders agree that training in CPR during Covid-19 remains necessary.Conclusion: Certified BLS providers maintain willingness to perform CPR in unresponsive victims even during the Covid-19 pandemic era. This attitude is reinforced by exposure to the updated CPR guidelines. Knowledge regarding Covid-19 CPR is satisfactory, with more training focused on the revised algorithms considered essential.

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Basic life support equipped with automated external defibrillator may not be categorized the same as traditional basic life support in meta-analysis

Resuscitation ◽

10.1016/j.resuscitation.2011.06.041 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 82 (12) ◽

pp. e7

Author(s):

Patrick Chow-In Ko ◽

Ming-Tai Cheng ◽

Edward Pei-Chuan Huang ◽

Wen-Chu Chiang ◽

Matthew Heui-Ming Ma

Keyword(s):

Basic Life Support ◽

Life Support ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Automated External Defibrillator ◽

External Defibrillator

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Basic life support training in schools: Reflecting on students' and teachers' perspectives in Portugal

British Journal of Child Health ◽

10.12968/chhe.2020.1.3.124 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 124-128

Author(s):

Nuno Pinto ◽

Alexandra Carvalho ◽

Rita Silva ◽

Eleonora Marianucci ◽

Beatriz Novo

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Basic Life Support ◽

Life Support ◽

Low Cost ◽

Training Programme ◽

The Public ◽

Confidence Levels ◽

Effective Training ◽

Training Courses ◽

Teachers Perspectives

Cardiovascular events are the third cause of death in the world. It is generally accepted by all the main health organisations dedicated to this topic that increasing the number of potential members of the public who could intervene if necessary will lead to an increase in the survival rate in the case of cardiac arrest. To achieve this goal, offering effective training courses to as many individuals as possible, on a large scale and at a low cost, is recommended. Schools are by nature one of the ideal places for implementing this type of large-scale training programme. With this study the authors aim to measure how open students and teachers are to basic life-support training in their school and how this can improve their confidence levels in performing basic life-support if needed.

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Basic Life Support (BLS) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Course for Personnel in Kobe University Hospital

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x0001431x ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 20 (S1) ◽

pp. 101-101

Author(s):

T. Kawashima ◽

N. Ishii ◽

H. Nakao ◽

Y. Maeda ◽

M. Terukina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Basic Life Support ◽

Life Support ◽

University Hospital ◽

Automated External Defibrillator ◽

External Defibrillator

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Development, validation and assessment of the test on knowledge about basic life support and use of automated external defibrillator among schoolchildren

Scandinavian Journal of Trauma Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine ◽

10.1186/s13049-019-0683-6 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vesna Borovnik Lesjak ◽

Andrej Šorgo ◽

Matej Strnad

Keyword(s):

Basic Life Support ◽

Life Support ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Automated External Defibrillator ◽

Multiple Choice Questions ◽

Chi Square ◽

Before And After ◽

Baseline Knowledge ◽

Potential Improvement ◽

External Defibrillator

Abstract Background Educating lay public can significantly strengthen the Chain of Survival after out of hospital cardiac arrest. Schoolchildren are an accessible population for learning basic life support (BLS) and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) and can be regarded as multipliers of knowledge that can reach the whole population. This study aimed to develop and validate a test for examining levels of knowledge about BLS and AED among schoolchildren that can be used to uniformly present reliable data. Methods A knowledge test about BLS and AED consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions was developed and implemented before and after a 2-h BLS and AED course consisting of an interactive lecture and a practical workshop for 783 students in seventh and ninth grades of elementary schools in Maribor, Slovenia. Each question was analyzed and presented with descriptive statistics and educometric parameters (difficulty and discriminating indices). All variables were checked for normality with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and analyzed using non-parametric tests. Statistical significance of the differences in knowledge before and after intervention were calculated with chi-square statistics and effect sizes r are reported. Differences between genders, grades and previous attendance to BLS courses were compared using Mann – Whitney U test. The effect size was calculated from the Z score and reported as r value. Results After educometric analysis, questions were adjusted to meet the requirements of satisfactory functioning difficulty and discriminating indices (values between 0,40 and 0,60, and above 0,20, respectively). Only one question had to be eliminated due to inadequate difficulty and discriminating index (0,99 and 0,02, respectively). Measurement invariance across gender (p < 0,001), school grade (p < 0,001), and attendance to previous courses (p = 0,303) was assured. Conclusions A test for accurate and reliable measurement of knowledge of BLS and AED among schoolchildren was developed and validated. According to the findings it can now reliably be used to assess baseline knowledge and potential improvement in knowledge after a course on BLS and AED. Standardized data gathered with a validated tool can now be presented at legislative levels to promote BLS and AED courses implementation in school curricula.

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Meta-analysis of the accuracy of termination of resuscitation rules for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Emergency Medicine Journal ◽

10.1136/emermed-2018-207833 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 36 (8) ◽

pp. 479-484 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Mark H Ebell ◽

Akke Vellinga ◽

Siobhan Masterson ◽

Phillip Yun

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Arrest ◽

Basic Life Support ◽

Life Support ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Advanced Life Support ◽

Study Quality ◽

European Resuscitation Council ◽

Comprehensive Search ◽

Hospital Cardiac Arrest ◽

Low Rate

BackgroundOur objective was to perform a systematic review of studies reporting the accuracy of termination of resuscitation rules (TORRs) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).MethodsWe performed a comprehensive search of the literature for studies evaluating the accuracy of TORRs, with two investigators abstracting relevant data from each study regarding study design, study quality and the accuracy of the TORRs. Bivariate meta-analysis was performed using the mada procedure in R.ResultsWe identified 14 studies reporting the performance of 9 separate TORRs. The sensitivity (proportion of eventual survivors for whom the TORR recommends resuscitation and transport) was generally high: 95% for the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) TORR, 97% for the basic life support (BLS) TORR and 99% for the advanced life support (ALS) TORR. The BLS and ERC TORR were more specific, which would lead to fewer futile transports, and all three of these TORRs had a miss rate of ≤0.13% (defined as a case where a patient is recommended for termination but survives). The pooled proportion of patients for whom each rule recommends TOR was much higher for the ERC and BLS TORRs (93.5% and 74.8%, respectively) than for the ALS TORR (29.0%).ConclusionsThe BLS and ERC TORRs identify a large proportion of patients who are candidates for termination of resuscitation following OHCA while having a very low rate of misclassifying eventual survivors (<0.1%). Further prospective validation of the ERC TORR and direct comparison with BLS TORR are needed.

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