Abstract Body: Background: Basic CPR (B-CPR) is recognized as a crucial intervention in managing in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). In 2020, only 80% of patients with cardiac arrest attended by an emergency medical team (EMT) at The University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) received B-CPR by ward staff in advance.
Hypothesis: It is anticipated that nursing staff in general wards of a hospital will significantly increase the initiation of basic resuscitation following education on the significance of basic resuscitation during a structured resuscitation training.
Aims: The objective is to achieve a resuscitation rate of over 90% among ward staff within a two-year period through training efforts.
Methods: The UKSH employs 16,000 individuals at two locations. All employees are required to participate in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training every two years. A retrospective data analysis was performed using data from the German Resuscitation Registry for Kiel Campus. The primary outcome parameter was the frequency of basic resuscitation performed on general wards. Secondary outcome measures included the rate of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), mortality at the scene of the emergency, and the rate of discharge from the hospital.
Results: Between 2020 and 2022, the number of calls for EMTs and the proportion of resuscitations remained stable at approximately 35%. However, the rate of basic life support initiated by ward staff increased significantly from 80% in 2020 to 98.6% in 2022 (χ2 = 11.52, p < 0.001). Other parameters, such as ROSC or mortality on scene, remained unchanged. The hospital discharge rates rose from 8.1% in 2020 to 12.2% in 2022, but this increase was not statistically significant (p = 0.408). Approximately 60% of employees participated in the training, equating to 5000 staff members attending a 2-hour session per year. This participation rate is likely due to personnel changes and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusions: The enhancement of resuscitation training resulted in an increase in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (B-CPR) performed on general wards. However, there was no statistically significant increase in hospital discharge rates, suggesting that while training enhances immediate resuscitation efforts, additional factors influence long-term survival outcomes. It is crucial to continuously emphasize the importance of basic resuscitation skills and training to sustain and further improve these outcomes.