Faculty Collaboration Database

Predictors of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator skill retention. Am Heart J 2005 Nov;150(5):927-32

Date

11/18/2005

Pubmed ID

16290965

DOI

10.1016/j.ahj.2005.01.042

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-27744435778 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   29 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Few data exist regarding the retention of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) skills over time in relationship to characteristics of lay volunteer responders, training, or risk of exposure to victims. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics associated with adequate CPR and AED skill retention.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Skill retention was tested 3 to 18 months (mean 6.9 +/- 3.5 months) after initial training. Instructors judged adequacy of performance of essential CPR or AED skills and provided an overall assessment (adequate/inadequate), which was used as the outcome. Data on 7261 laypersons trained in CPR (4358 also received AED training) in 24 sites across the United States and Canada were available from the Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Trial. Characteristics of the volunteers, classes, and facilities were evaluated as predictors of performance adequacy. Adjusting for site, intervention assignment (CPR-only or CPR + AED), and time since initial training, volunteer characteristics associated with adequate CPR performance were age (OR 0.78 per 10-year increment), male sex (OR 1.44), minority (OR 0.62), married (OR 1.35), prior emergency experience (OR 1.66), prior CPR class (OR 1.68), prior advanced training (OR 1.59), and extracurricular CPR training (OR 1.91) (all P < .05). Characteristics associated with AED performance included age (OR 0.69), college education (OR 1.34), and native language other than English (OR 0.51) (all P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS: Certain subgroups of lay volunteers may need targeted outreach programs in CPR and AED use, classes with longer training time, more practice, or more intense retraining to maintain their CPR and/or AED skills.

Author List

Riegel B, Birnbaum A, Aufderheide TP, Thode HC Jr, Henry MC, Van Ottingham L, Swor R, PAD Investigators

Author

Tom P. Aufderheide MD Professor in the Emergency Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Clinical Competence
Defibrillators
Female
Humans
Male