Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 27, 2025
Author Spotlight: Simulating Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Using a Neonatal Piglet Model
Published on: May 26, 2023
Effect of a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Coach on Workload During Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Arrest: A Multicenter,
Nancy M Tofil1, Adam Cheng2, Yiqun Lin2
1University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
Objectives:
Optimal cardiopulmonary resuscitation can improve pediatric outcomes but rarely is cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed perfectly despite numerous iterations of Basic and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. Cardiac arrests resuscitation events are complex, often chaotic environments with significant mental and physical workload for team members, especially team leaders. Our primary objective was to determine the impact of a cardiopulmonary resuscitation coach on cardiopulmonary resuscitation provider workload during simulated pediatric cardiac arrest.
Design:
Multicenter observational study.
Setting:
Four pediatric simulation centers.
Subjects:
Team leaders, cardiopulmonary resuscitation coach, and team members during an 18-minute pediatric resuscitation scenario.
Interventions:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index.
Measurements And Main Results:
Forty-one teams (205 participants) were recruited with one team (five participants) excluded from analysis due to protocol violation. Demographic data revealed no significant differences between the groups in regard to age, experience, distribution of training (nurse, physician, and respiratory therapist). For most workload subscales, there were no significant differences between groups. However, cardiopulmonary resuscitation providers had a higher physical workload (89.3 vs 77.9; mean difference, -11.4; 95% CI, -17.6 to -5.1; p = 0.001) and a lower mental demand (40.6 vs 55.0; mean difference, 14.5; 95% CI, 4.0-24.9; p = 0.007) with a coach (intervention) than without (control). Both the team leader and coach had similarly high mental demand in the intervention group (75.0 vs 73.9; mean difference, 0.10; 95% CI, -0.88 to 1.09; p = 0.827). When comparing the cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality of providers with high workload (average score > 60) and low to medium workload (average score < 60), we found no significant difference between the two groups in percentage of guideline compliant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (42.5% vs 52.7%; mean difference, -10.2; 95% CI, -23.1 to 2.7; p = 0.118).
Conclusions:
The addition of a cardiopulmonary resuscitation coach increases physical workload and decreases mental workload of cardiopulmonary resuscitation providers. There was no change in team leader workload.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation I: Adult
01:25Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation IV: Pharmacological Management
01:23Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation III: AED Use
01:22Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation II: ACLS Airway Management
01:19Cardiac Output I:Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output
Cardiac output (CO) refers to the total amount of blood ejected by one of the ventricles in liters per minute (L/min). In a resting adult, CO ranges from 5 to 6 L/min, adjusting according to the body's metabolic requirements.
Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output
Cardiac output adapts to metabolic demands during stress, physical activity, or illness. The autonomic nervous system regulates heart rate via the sinoatrial node. The parasympathetic nervous system decreases heart...
01:22Cardiac Output II: Effect of Stroke Volume on Cardiac Output
Preload
Preload refers to the initial elongation of the cardiac myocytes before contraction and is related to the volume of blood filling the heart at the end of diastole, or end-diastolic volume. The...