The effectiveness of refresher cardiopulmonary resuscitation training among registered nurses

Abstract

Overview of the topic: In all industrialised Western countries, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of mortality, in which the majority of occurrences are caused by ventricular fibrillation. To permit the heart to resume regular pumping, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) must be performed immediately, along with defibrillation if the rhythm of the heart is shockable. In-hospital cardiac arrest care relies heavily on nurses; therefore, nurses must be competent in performing CPR and defibrillation. Research question: Does a refresher cardiopulmonary resuscitation training improve the competence of registered nurse upon performing resuscitation? PICO elements: The population (P) studied was registered nurses (RN). The intervention (I) was the pre-cardiopulmonary resuscitation training assessment. The comparison (C) was the post cardiopulmonary resuscitation training assessment. Lastly, the outcome (O) was the competence of RN upon performing resuscitation. Method: Once the PICO elements of the research question were identified through a PICO framework tool, index key term and alternative terms were retrieved. This was followed by a search strategy conducted by using the following databases: HyDI, Google Scholar and PubMed Central. In order to find the relevant literature, Boolean Operators, wildcards, truncations, limiters, inclusion, and exclusion criteria were also used. Using the appropriate NHLBI’s Critical Appraisal tool, critical appraisal of the literature material was carried out. Results: The five quasi-experimental studies selected from the search were used to answer the research question for this dissertation. All the studies revealed that a refresher CPR training does improve the competency of registered nurses in both knowledge and psychomotor skills related to CPR. Implications and recommendations: To administer such techniques and procedures to the patients in a competent manner, nurses must be trained and must adhere to the policy and guidelines. Conclusion: Research has revealed that a refresher CPR training does improve the competence of registered nurses in both knowledge and psychomotor skills. Nurses who do not recertify annually, particularly those not working in critical care and emergency setting, are more likely to lack self-confidence and be less competent in performing CPR, effecting the patient’s outcomes.