Evaluation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator skill retention with simplified community-based training.

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the retention of dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills and knowledge among newly trained laypersons in Singapore who were trained using the Dispatcher-Assisted first REsponder (DARE) programme.

Method: This was a prospective before-after, single group simulation study using simulation-based assessments (SBA). Fifty participants were recruited and assessed over three rounds of simulated cardiac arrest. Participants were assessed before training for a baseline measure, immediately after DARE training and 4 months after DARE training. Participants' performance in executing the proper CPR sequence was evaluated using a ten-item scorecard. Secondary outcomes, as measured using a feedback device, included CPR compression quality (measured by depth, rate and chest recoil), time to administration of the first chest compression and time taken to administer the first AED shock.

Results: Twenty-seven participants completed the study. The average (SD) pre-training SBA baseline score was 18.96 (3.87). The post-training SBA score was 25.22 (2.64), and the 4-month retention SBA (Ret-SBA) score was 23.63 (3.52). There was an average decline of 1.59 (P < 0.001) decline in the retention SBA score.

Conclusion: Laypeople dispatcher-assisted CPR performance in this study declined 4 months after training. However, skill performance remained above pre-training levels. These findings suggest the need for retraining to sustain trainees' proficiency in dispatcher-assisted CPR skills; however, the optimal frequency of retraining requires additional investigation.