Abstract Body: Background: The Ohio CPR in Schools program aims to help schools meet state requirements for CPR training before high school graduation. The program uses a “train the trainer” model, providing schools with manikins and video-led curriculum which allow them to train 20-40 students at a time in hands-only CPR.
Research Questions: How has the Ohio CPR in Schools program contributed to schools’ preparedness to implement CPR trainings?
Methods: Participating schools were mailed AHA’s CPR in Schools training kits and invited to attend in-person, virtual, or pre-recorded “train the trainer” workshops. Two surveys informed a non-experimental evaluation. The first was distributed to all staff who attended a workshop, and the second was distributed to each school in the final month of the program to assess reach, implementation, and perceived preparedness.
Results:
505 schools joined the program between July 2024 and May 2025. 109 staff members completed the first survey, and 161 schools completed the second survey. By the end of the program, 87% (n=140) of schools were offering CPR training to their students, 83% (n=105) of which were offering CPR training previously.
Overall, schools’ preparedness was high and participation in the CPR in Schools program had increased preparedness. 85% (n=107) of schools reported they’d been “mostly” or “totally” prepared to implement CPR training during the 2024-2025 school year, and 72% (n=91) of schools felt the program had increased their preparedness. Similarly, when surveyed after “train the trainer” workshops, 91% (n=89) of staff reported feeling “mostly” or “totally” prepared to provide CPR training, and 95% (n=93) fully intended to train students in the coming year. 80% (n=78) of staff felt more prepared after the “train the trainer” workshop.
Nearly all schools planned to continue CPR training after the CPR in Schools program ended. 98% (n=124) of schools had plans to offer CPR training again next year, and of those, 89% (n=110) had a designated staff person and 80% (n=99) had a designated time and location.
Conclusion: Reaching over 500 schools with training and materials, the CPR in Schools program contributed to schools’ high levels of preparedness to implement CPR training. Schools offer a unique opportunity to train the next generation of bystanders in CPR, and this program can serve as an example for how to support schools in sustainably integrating CPR training into their curricula.