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. 2020 Oct;27(5):368-372.
doi: 10.1097/MEJ.0000000000000692.

Theoretical knowledge and self-assessed ability to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a survey among 3044 healthcare professionals in Sweden

Jennie Silverplats  1   2 , Marie-Louise Södersved Källestedt  3 , Philippe Wagner  3 , Annica Ravn-Fischer  4 , Björn Äng  1   5   6 , Anneli Strömsöe  1   6   7
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Theoretical knowledge and self-assessed ability to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a survey among 3044 healthcare professionals in Sweden

Jennie Silverplats et al. Eur J Emerg Med. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: Theoretical knowledge and ability to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are unknown with regard to provided training. The aim of this study was to evaluate in-hospital healthcare professionals' (HCPs) theoretical knowledge of CPR and their self-assessed ability to perform CPR and also to assess possible affecting factors.

Method: A questionnaire was sent to n = 5323 HCPs containing a nine-question knowledge test and a Likert scale measuring self-assessed ability. A factor score of self-assessed ability and a ratio scale of correct answers were dependent variables in multiple linear regression.

Results: Only 41% of the responding HCPs passed the knowledge test with seven or more correct answers. Nurses had the highest pass rate (50%) and the highest attendance rate at CPR training (56%). The ability to perform defibrillation was strongly agreed by 43% and the ability of leadership by only 7%. Working on a monitored ward, CPR training 0-6 months ago and being a nurse or physician were factors associated with more correct answers and higher ratings of abilities.

Conclusion: The overall theoretical knowledge was poor and ratings of self-assessed abilities to perform CPR were low. Working on a monitored ward, recently attended CPR training and being a nurse or physician were factors associated with higher theoretical knowledge and higher ratings of self-assessed ability to perform CPR. These findings imply prioritisation of CPR training.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Self-assessed ability to perform CPR rated on a Likert scale ranging from 1 = ‘I strongly disagree’ to 7 = ‘I strongly agree’. The abilities consisted of compression (A, internal missing n = 70), ventilation (B, internal missing n = 67), defibrillation (C, internal missing n = 81) and leadership (D, internal missing n = 102). Respondents are presented in frequencies (n). CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
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