RESCUER mobile app to support pediatric resuscitation: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Emergency medicine
• Pediatric resuscitation
• Health informatics

Background:

• Pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (POHCA) is a significant cause of child mortality.
• Current Emergency Medical Services (EMS) protocols guide response to POHCA.
• There is a need for tools to support EMS clinicians during these critical events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the RESCUER cognitive aid app in supporting EMS clinicians during simulated neonatal and POHCA.
• To compare the RESCUER app's impact on resuscitation performance against standard EMS care.
• To assess the app's influence on cognitive load and usability in a simulated POHCA setting.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving EMS first responders from rural and urban US agencies.
• EMS teams will be randomized to use either the RESCUER app or their current standard of care during simulated POHCAs.
• The order of simulation scenarios will also be randomized.

Main Results:

• Primary outcomes include time to complete American Heart Association (AHA)-recommended steps for Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
• Secondary outcomes encompass participants' self-rated cognitive load, teamwork effectiveness, and tool usability.
• Hypothesis: The RESCUER app will decrease time to complete AHA steps compared to standard care.

Conclusions:

• The study hypothesizes that the RESCUER app will improve resuscitation performance in simulated POHCAs.
• The app is expected to reduce the time required to complete critical resuscitation steps.
• This research aims to determine if the RESCUER app can enhance EMS response to pediatric emergencies.