DETERMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION USING A MANIKIN

Objectives: Many studies have shown that people applying cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) cannot make sustained and effective CPR due to fatigue, sweaty hands, broken ribs, inability to determine the correct area etc. Thus, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness and sustainability of CPR quality using a CPR manikin by following the 2015 CPR guidelines.Material and Method: This study was carried out with 153 student volunteers from seven different health sciences programmes at Izmir University of Economics. All students were trained in first aid and basic life support in the previous school academic year. The time and effectiveness of CPR applied on a CPR manikin (Ambu® Manikin) were measured. The students’ body positioning, blowing capacities, depth of pressures and effective pressure durations were evaluated and numerical data were analysed by t-test. P-value <0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. Data were analysed using SPSS version 21.Results: Of the 153 student volunteers, 60.1% were female and 39.9% were male. The average student age was 20.32 ± 03 years, the average height was 169.20 ± 26 cm and the average weight was 65.12 ± 42 kg. The average effective CPR duration was 2.95 ± 0.86 min, the average pressure depth was 4.33 cm and the average depth of pressures and effective pressure was 0.6 liters. The position of the arms was correct in 83% of the students. In 81% of the cases, the application site was correctly determined. Moreover, 68.6% of the students were able to sustain the pumping activity of the heart. In all parameters other than the arms position, male students had better results than female students. CPR is a very important live-saving method to increase the chance of survival. However, this practice is ineffective unless applied correctly and timely.Conclusion: This study showed that manual chest compression on the manikin became ineffective in both speed and effectiveness just within minutes. This shows that there is a very important deficiency in this area where human life depends on minutes. Thus, developing and commissioning auxiliary external chest compression device that can perform CPR, especially in pre-hospital setting, ambulance and emergency departments, is important.