Basic cardiac life support education for non-medical hospital employees

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) recommends that strategies should be implemented that promote cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in the workplace. Non-medical employees at a hospital were therefore trained to conduct basic life support (BLS). Subject background information, test results and survey findings were examined and factors affecting BLS skill acquisition were studied.

Of 1432 non-medical employees at a hospital trained to conduct BLS, 880 agreed to participate in the survey. The training course consisted of a single session of 3 h of lectures, practice and testing. Skill acquisition was assessed using a 13-item skill checklist and a 5-point overall competency scale. The effects of age, gender, type of job, educational status, a previous history of CPR training and level of subject-perceived training difficulty were examined.

According to total checklist scores, subjects achieved a mean (SD) score of 8.66 (3.57). 22.3% performed all 13 skills. Based on 5-point overall competency ratings, 43.7% of subjects were rated as "competent", "very good" or "outstanding". Age (<40 years and >or=40 years) was the only factor that significantly affected skill acquisition (skill acquisition by those >or=40 years of age was poorer than by those aged <40 years).

Traditional BLS training is less effective in individuals aged >or=40 years.