Assessment of CPR Skills Acquisition and Retention: Impact of Technology and Self-training

Assessment of CPR Skills Acquisition and Retention: Impact of Technology and Self-training

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency maneuver used on a victim who is in cardiac arrest. Early and efficient CPR, with a focus on chest compressions, is a key element in increasing victim survival. The success of resuscitation does not only depend on the immediate initiation of the maneuvers, but also on the quality with which they are applied. However, there is an obvious gap in the knowledge of these maneuvers. This study aims to analyze the acquisition and retention/maintenance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills and the impact of the use of technology and autonomous training in medical students.

The objectives of this study include:

1. Study the impact of using technology, namely simulators with automatic feedback, in CPR training.
2. Study the potential of autonomous training as a complementary and/or alternative methodology in CPR training.
3. Assess the acquisition and retention/maintenance of CPR skills, through autonomous and regular training.

The findings of this project are expected to promote awareness and behavioral change in the rescuer, leading to better outcomes for patients.

Experimental case-control study, aligned in two phases. In a first phase, all participants will be exposed to a period of autonomous training, with measurements of performance and quality of CPR, before and after training. This phase will allow investigating the acquisition of skills through autonomous training and leveling the skills of the entire sample. In a second phase, the sample will be randomly distributed between two groups and the retention/maintenance of skills will be evaluated over 1 year, considering that one of the groups will be exposed to 2 additional autonomous training sessions (after 2 and 6 months). The collection of technical skills data will be performed in the pre-training period, post-training (time zero) and after 2, 6 and 12 months - corresponding to 5 data collection moments, in both groups.

Both autonomous training and technical skills data collection will take place using a feedback CPR training simulator (eg Laerdal Little Anne QCPR). Along with the collection of technical skills data, theoretical knowledge will be assessed through a questionnaire. The duration of the autonomous training will be 30 minutes.

The sample will be recruited by convenience (non-probabilistic sample), using students of the 4th year of the Integrated Master in Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto.

Data collection will take place at the Clinical Simulation Center of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (Portugal);

An estimate of the sample size was calculated considering the use of an ANOVA test for repeated measures. Using the G-Power software and considering an effect size of 0.20, significance level of 0.05, power of 0.95, for two groups and five measures, 96 participants will be needed. In this calculation, a null correlation coefficient was used, opting for a conservative approach to sample size calculation. Anticipating eventual dropouts, 150 participants will be recruited.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults (>= 18 years of age);
• Good state of health;
• Lack of formal training in CPR.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant women;
• Individuals with reduced mobility;
• Physical fatigue and/or reported muscle pain;