2016 Volume 17 Issue 3 Pages 163-167
Since 2012, we have trained staff at Yuai-Kai Foundation & Oda Hospital, Saga, Japan in basic life support (BLS) through an annual lecture. The effectiveness of this training, however, has not been evaluated, and we experienced problems in executing resuscitation in a recent case.
We therefore changed the format of the training from a lecture to a series of practical exercises in small groups of three or four people. Those attending the training were all staff in the hospital excluding medical doctors. We used an adult-sized mannequin for CPR simulation and an automated external defibrillator as training tools, and, also gave a detailed lecture on the skills. We assessed the effectiveness of the training using a detailed simulation of a cardiopulmonary arrest that had occurred in our hospital. Participants took part in the simulation both before and after the training, and we filmed them to check skills and speed of response. The trainees answered questionnaires on a zero-to-ten scale about their knowledge of BLS, willingness to provide it and confidence in their ability pre- and post-training.
Of 239 hospital staff eligible, 220 (92%) attended. According to their responses to the questionnaires, their knowledge, willingness and confidence all improved. In the simulation, the speed at which participants confirmed the presence of respiration and started chest compressions improved after training.
These results suggest that providing training using practical exercises in small groups of three or four people improved the participants' ability to provide basic life support.
