Is Anyone Ready to Save a Life? An Examination of Cardiac Emergency Preparedness in Schools

Abstract

BACKGROUND

This study explored the cardiac emergency preparedness of school employees in Illinois, as well as their attitudes toward cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training.

METHODS

One thousand two hundred seventy-six school employees completed an online survey regarding their school's cardiac emergency preparedness, as well as their access to CPR/AED training, confidence and willingness to perform CPR/AED, and attitudes toward CPR policies and mandates.

RESULTS

In total, results from 1273 school employees were analyzed. School employees in Illinois are not prepared to respond to a cardiac emergency, but desire training, plans, and drills. Demographic analyses revealed statistically significant differences in cardiac emergency preparedness between individuals of different personal and school characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

School employees in Illinois are not prepared to respond to a cardiac emergency. To increase preparedness for cardiac emergencies at school, schools should implement CPR/AED training for all employees, cardiac emergency response plans, and cardiac emergency response drills.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY

Policies should be implemented at the state and local level to support cardiac emergency preparedness in schools, including mandated CPR/AED training for all school employees, cardiac emergency response plans for every building, and required cardiac emergency response drills.