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American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition
October 23, 2015
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In-school training boosts student’s confidence in performing CPR

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ninth grade students who underwent hands-only CPR training in school reported feeling more knowledgeable and had decreased fear of performing CPR, according to recently presented data.

“We saw confidence build in the teenagers’ eyes, body language, and knowledge during training of this critical skill. If CPR hands-only training became part of every school curriculum, we could see an exponential number of life-saving hands available at the drop of a heartbeat,” Elena Rueda-de-Leon, MD, MS, pediatric resident at All Children’s Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine, St. Petersburg, said in a press release.

Ninth-grade students (n = 2,383) at nine Florida high schools attended a 45-minute CPR training class and completed a six-question tested before and after attending the class to assess their knowledge of CPR. Rueda-de-Leon and colleagues analyzed data from participants’ pre- and post-course questionnaires to assess the effectiveness of mass hands-only CPR with psychomotor skill training in high school students.

Results demonstrated that test scores were significantly higher after completing the course (P < .001). Students reported being more willing to perform CPR after the course, compared with before the course, according to a press release.

Outside of a hospital, the chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest without receiving CPR is less than 10%, according to the press release.

“This grim statistic may drastically improve to greater than 60% with the addition of immediate CPR. Hands-only CPR is an effective way to teach large groups of people effective lifesaving skills and increase their willingness to use them if they witness a cardiac arrest,” Jacquelyn F. Crews, MD, pediatric resident at All Children’s Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine, St. Petersburg, said in the release. – by Casey Hower

Reference:

Crew JF, et al. Effectiveness of mass hands-only CPR with psychomotor skill training in high school students in the United States. Abstract #30444. Presented at: 2015 AAP National Conference and Exhibition; Oct. 23-27; Washington D.C.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.