Theo Walther Jensen1, Thea Palsgaard Møller2, Søren Viereck2, Jens Roland Hansen3, Thomas Egesborg Pedersen4, Annette Kjær Ersbøll5, Jens Flensted Lassen6, Fredrik Folke2, Doris Østergaard7, Freddy Lippert8. 1. Emergency Medical Services Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Telegrafvej 5, 2750 Copenhagen, Denmark; Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation, Capital Region of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: theo.walther.jensen.01@regionh.dk. 2. Emergency Medical Services Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Telegrafvej 5, 2750 Copenhagen, Denmark. 3. Danish Resuscitation Council, c/o Emergency Medical Services, Telegrafvej 5, 2750 Copenhagen, Denmark. 4. Danish First Aid Council, c/o Dansk Folkehjælp, Brovejen 4, 4800 Nykøbing Falster, Denmark. 5. National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Studiestræde 6, DK-1455 Copenhagen K, Denmark. 6. Danish Resuscitation Council, c/o Emergency Medical Services, Telegrafvej 5, 2750 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Cardiology, The Heart Centre, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. 7. Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation, Capital Region of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. 8. Emergency Medical Services Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Telegrafvej 5, 2750 Copenhagen, Denmark; Danish Resuscitation Council, c/o Emergency Medical Services, Telegrafvej 5, 2750 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Survival from Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest is highly associated with bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The quality of bystander CPR is influenced by citizens attending Basic Life Support (BLS) courses and the quality of these courses. The purpose of the study was to investigate content, quality and compliance with the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines in national Danish BLS courses and the skill retention. METHODS: Books from 16 different course providers were analyzed for compliance with guidelines using the principle of mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive questioning. Observation of 56 BLS courses were conducted using an evaluation sheet, with a five-point Likert scale including theoretical, technical, and non-technical skills. BLS skills of participants were assessed with a follow-up test 4-6 months after a course using a modified Cardiff Test. RESULTS: Analysis of the books, showed compliance with ERC guidelines of 69% on the examined items. Courses using ERC educational structure and having maximum six participants per instructor were associated with high quality in the course observations and a better follow-up test. Especially, the use of automated external defibrillator showed significant odds ratio (OR) of 21.8 (95% CI 4.1-114.7) to 31.3 (95% CI 3.7-265.1) of achieving high quality on courses with similar results in the follow-up test. CONCLUSION: National BLS courses had significant variation in the content of books, and compliance to ERC guidelines during courses and in skills retention 4-6 months after the courses. This study can be used to further improve and standardize BLS courses.
INTRODUCTION: Survival from Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest is highly associated with bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The quality of bystander CPR is influenced by citizens attending Basic Life Support (BLS) courses and the quality of these courses. The purpose of the study was to investigate content, quality and compliance with the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines in national Danish BLS courses and the skill retention. METHODS: Books from 16 different course providers were analyzed for compliance with guidelines using the principle of mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive questioning. Observation of 56 BLS courses were conducted using an evaluation sheet, with a five-point Likert scale including theoretical, technical, and non-technical skills. BLS skills of participants were assessed with a follow-up test 4-6 months after a course using a modified Cardiff Test. RESULTS: Analysis of the books, showed compliance with ERC guidelines of 69% on the examined items. Courses using ERC educational structure and having maximum six participants per instructor were associated with high quality in the course observations and a better follow-up test. Especially, the use of automated external defibrillator showed significant odds ratio (OR) of 21.8 (95% CI 4.1-114.7) to 31.3 (95% CI 3.7-265.1) of achieving high quality on courses with similar results in the follow-up test. CONCLUSION: National BLS courses had significant variation in the content of books, and compliance to ERC guidelines during courses and in skills retention 4-6 months after the courses. This study can be used to further improve and standardize BLS courses.