Dispatcher-Assisted CPR: Low-Dose, High-Frequency Simulation-Based Training

Dispatcher-Assisted Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Low-Dose, High-Frequency Simulation-Based Training and the Impact on Real Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Calls

Clear, concise, yes, and no answers can be challenging to achieve in the assessment of consciousness and breathing in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) calls. Often callers will provide an unclear response, and this can lead to hesitation on the part of the Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD). Further, the relatively small proportion OHCA calls represent might demand the need for simulation training in the dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DA-CPR) guiding itself. Therefore, the investigators investigate whether low-dose, high-frequency (LDHF) simulation-based training of EMDs can increase the quality of DA-CPR in a simulation setting. Additionally, the investigators measure whether the effect of the training will be transferred to real OHCA calls.

The study is a randomised controlled trial comparing LDHF simulation-based training to standard quality improvement of the EMD in a single centre. The study protocol is structured according to the SPIRIT 2013 statement, and the study will be reported in compliance with the CONSORT 2010 Statement. The investigators chose EMDs receiving standard quality improvement as the comparator group, to reflect a representative cohort of the EMDs not exposed to the LDHF simulation-based training program.

The aims of this study are:

1. To measure the effect of LDHF simulation-based training on the quality of DA-CPR in a simulation setting.
2. To measure the effect of LDHF simulation-based training on the quality of DA-CPR in real OHCA calls.

The investigators hypothesise that LDHF simulation-based training will increase the quality of DA-CPR in the intervention group in a simulation setting and that this improvement is transferred to real OHCA calls - although the effect in real OHCA calls might be smaller due to the complexity of some calls. The investigators hypothesise that this improvement can be detected as a decrease in time to first bystander compression (TTFC), an increase in clarification of consciousness and breathing without asking additional questions, a decrease in time to recognition of cardiac arrest, and an increase in calls where the EMD provide DA-CPR instructions on patients in cardiac arrest.

Inclusion criteria:

- EMD employed at the Copenhagen EMS at the time of enrolment.

Exclusion criteria:

• Mean working time as call taker at Copenhagen EMS < 8 hours/week.
• Planned employment cessation at the Copenhagen EMS during the data collection period.
• Planned leave from work longer than four weeks during the data collection period.
• Starting employment at the Copenhagen EMS during the study period.