Summary from the article “Do You Remember When It Really Matters?” by Linus Gedal
Problem:
Sudden cardiac arrest is a serious medical condition that requires immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Research has shown that CPR performance is generally inadequate, but technical aids such as CPR Guide [now CPRAIDR] can improve CPR execution for both laypersons and healthcare professionals. However, additional research indicates that CPR skills deteriorate quickly over time.
Research Question:
How does practicing with sensor-based CPR technology affect the ability to retain skills in performing correct CPR?
Method:
To answer this question, an experimental study with a quantitative method was conducted. Twenty laypersons participated in the study. Participants performed CPR without assistance, then with CPR Guide (a sensor-based CPR aid utilizing visual graphic feedback (VGF)), and finally without assistance again. Data was collected using technical equipment and analyzed post-collection through descriptive statistics and a One-way Repeated Measures ANOVA.
Results:
The study found that during the first practice session, without using the technical aid, the average percentage of correctly performed compressions was only 10.9%. This figure increased to 56.4% when using the CPR Guide. In the final practice session without the technical aid, participants performed an average of 17.5% of compressions correctly. The results showed that a single practice session with the CPR Guide led to an average improvement of 60.5% in the number of successful compressions performed without support.
Conclusion:
The study contributes to a deeper understanding of technology’s role in CPR training. Consistent with previous research, the results demonstrate that technical aids such as the CPR Guide improve CPR performance. The study confirms that practicing with VGF-based technology is an effective method for training laypersons in CPR and that skill retention is maintained. The study’s results and limitations also highlight the need for repeated studies with a control group. This is necessary to examine how training with VGF-based technical aids affects CPR skill retention compared to training without such support.
Author: Linus Gedal, Stockholm University