[Current status of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico]

Upon a questionnaire based on the international standards of the American Heart Association on Basic Cardiac Life Support (CPR) a survey was conducted to determine the knowledge and capabilities of doctors and nurses of different hospitals of the Mexican Institute of Social Security in Monterrey, NL. The findings reported upon three groups were: the first (A) with informal training, the second group (B) without it, and the 3rd one (C) with formal training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Within these first levels and depending on the academic one, seven subgroups were formed. The four basic areas in the questionnaire were evaluated with percentage of correct answers from both, general and individual answers and the results were analyzed through statistical references. Outstanding was the very low number of people with formal training and of those with informal training, only 30% had executed practices with manikins. Both groups A and B had a 64% of correct answers, when compared to the 88% obtained by group C, give us a statistical value of P less than 0.001. Underlining the very low results and outcomes in the four areas analyzed. The conclusion reached is the need of formal training of both medical and nurse staff in the various techniques of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in our community.