The "delay effect" of donning a gown during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a simulation model.

Objective: We sought to determine whether the use of currently issued gowns delays initiation of chest compressions and ventilations during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and whether simple gown modifications can reduce this delay.

Methods: Firefighter defibrillation instructors were allocated into pairs and videotaped while performing standardized cardiac arrest scenarios. Three scenarios were compared: "no gown," "standard gown" and "modified gown.