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Published on: May 26, 2023
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation During Simulated Pediatric Interhospital Transport: Lessons Learned From Implementation
Corina Noje1, Jordan Duval-Arnould, Philomena M Costabile
1From the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine (C.N., J.D.-A., J.P., E.A.H.), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Pediatric Transport (C.N., P.M.C., E.H.), The Johns Hopkins Hospital; Health Informatics (J.D.-A., E.A.H.), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Johns Hopkins Medicine Simulation Center (J.D.-A., J.P., E.A.H.); Department of Nursing (P.M.C.), The Johns Hopkins Hospital; LifeStar Response of Maryland (E.H.); Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (J.L.S.); Department of Pediatrics (N.S., E.A.H.), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; and Health Policy and Management (E.A.H.), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
Introduction:
Little is known about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) quality during pediatric interhospital transport; hence, our aim was to investigate its feasibility.
Methods:
After implementing an institutional education curriculum on pediatric resuscitation during ambulance transport, we conducted a 4-year prospective observational study involving simulation events. Simulated scenarios were (1) interhospital transport of a child retrieved in cardiac arrest (Sim1) and (2) unanticipated cardiac arrest of a child during transport (Sim2). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation data were collected via Zoll RSeries defibrillators. Performance was evaluated using age-appropriate American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines. Video recordings were reviewed for qualitative thematic analysis.
Results:
Twenty-six simulations were included: 16 Sim1 [mannequins: Laerdal SimMan 3G (n = 13); Gaumard 5-year-old HAL (n = 3)] and 10 Sim2 [Gaumard 1-year-old HAL (n = 8); Laerdal SimBaby (n = 2)]. Median (IQR) CPR duration was 18 minutes 23 seconds (14-22 minutes), chest compression rate was 112 per minute (106-118), and fraction (CCF) was 1 (0.9-1). Five hundred eight 60-second resuscitation epochs were evaluated (Sim1: 356; Sim2: 152); 73% were AHA compliant for rate and 87.8% for CCF. Twenty-four minutes (4.7%) had pauses more than 10 seconds. One hundred fifty seven Sim1 epochs (44.1%) met criteria for excellent CPR (AHA-compliant for rate, depth, and CCF). Rates of excellent CPR were higher for learner groups with increased simulation and transport experience (59.1% vs. 35.3%, P < 0.001). Thematic analysis identified performance-enhancing strategies, stemming from anticipating challenges, planning solutions, and ensuring team's shared mental model.
Conclusions:
High-quality CPR may be achievable during pediatric interhospital transport. Certain transport-specific strategies may enhance resuscitation quality. Learners' performance improved with simulation and transport experience, highlighting ongoing education's role.
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