Creating a Learning Scenario for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic necessitated changes in healthcare training, impacting essential skills like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
• On-site training for CPR competence was limited due to infection control measures, creating a need for alternative learning methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a pilot teaching-learning experience designed to facilitate CPR skills acquisition during the pandemic.
• To analyze the usefulness of this distance learning tool for healthcare professionals.

Main Methods:

• A three-phase approach was used: literature review, development of local guidelines with a simulated video, and a knowledge assessment test.
• The study involved 121 hospital health professionals, including doctors, nurses, and nursing assistants.

Main Results:

• A significant majority of participants (89.3%) had prior life support training.
• High correct answer rates (>80%) were observed for most test questions, with lower scores on specific procedural questions (57.9% and 41.3%).
• All participants found the video beneficial for refreshing life support knowledge and skills.

Conclusions:

• Distance learning offers a viable alternative for acquiring and refreshing cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills when traditional on-site training is not feasible.
• This innovative teaching-learning model can help maintain critical healthcare competencies amidst public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.