In situ simulation comparing in-hospital first responder sudden cardiac arrest resuscitation using semiautomated defibrillators and automated external defibrillators.

Introduction: Multifaceted approaches using simulation and human factors methods may optimize in-hospital sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) response. The Arrhythmia Simulation/Cardiac Event Nursing Training-Automated External Defibrillator phase (ASCENT-AED) study used in situ medical simulation to compare traditional and AED-supplemented SCA first-responder models.

Methods: The study was conducted at an academic 719-bed hospital with institutional review board approval.