Retention of cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills after initial overtraining

The authors have examined cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills retention in a police force initially trained to instructor level performance skills as defined by the 1977 American Heart Association Instructor Manual. In 1977, the entire Winnipeg Police Force received a basic 8-h course of CPR training with recording manikins. Each training session was followed by a written test and a performance test on the recording manikin using instructor level tape criteria as the standard. Between 12 and 18 months later, 116 personnel were randomly selected for retesting. The first min of one-man CPR on the two tapes was compared. Retention was expressed as a percentage, i.e., retest score/training score x 100. Retention scores were as follows: knowledge, 76%; assessment skills, 83%; call for help, 85%; numbers of adequate ventilations, 100%; numbers of adequate compressions, 97%. Total assessment time and incidence of potentially injurious performance were the same. Deliverate overtraining of highly motivated and mature nonmedical basic rescuers results in satisfactory skills retention for at least 1 year.