AI Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practices of BLS/ACLS among healthcare professionals in North-Kerala using a questionnaire based on American Heart Association guidelines.
- Results showed that the average score for knowledge was low, with more than half of the respondents scoring 50% or less, and scores tended to decline with age and occupation.
- Most participants (77.2%) felt that BLS/ACLS training should be included in their academic curriculum due to their insufficient knowledge of essential resuscitation techniques.
Article Abstract
Background: Healthcare professionals are expected to have knowledge of current basic and advanced cardiac life support (BLS/ACLS) guidelines to revive unresponsive patients.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the current practices and knowledge of BLS/ACLS principles among healthcare professionals of North-Kerala using pretested self-administered structured questionnaire. Answers were validated in accordance with American Heart Association's BLS/ACLS teaching manual and the results were analysed.
Results: Among 461 healthcare professionals, 141 (30.6%) were practicing physicians, 268 (58.1%) were nurses and 52 (11.3%) supporting staff. The maximum achievable score was 20 (BLS 15/ACLS 5). The mean score amongst all healthcare professionals was 8.9±4.7. The mean score among physicians, nurses and support staff were 8.6±3.4, 9±3.6 and 9±3.3 respectively. The majority of healthcare professionals scored ≤50% (237, 51.4%); 204 (44.3%) scored 51%-80% and 20 (4.34%) scored >80%. Mean scores decreased with age, male sex and across occupation. Nurses who underwent BLS/ACLS training previously had significantly higher mean scores (10.2±3.4) than untrained (8.2±3.6, =0.001). Physicians with <5 years experience (=0.002) and nurses in the private sector (=0.003) had significantly higher scores. One hundred and sixty three (35.3%) healthcare professionals knew the correct airway opening manoeuvres like head tilt, chin lift and jaw thrust. Only 54 (11.7%) respondents were aware that atropine is not used in ACLS for cardiac arrest resuscitation and 79 (17.1%) correctly opted ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia as shockable rhythms. The majority of healthcare professionals (356, 77.2%) suggested that BLS/ACLS be included in academic curriculum.
Conclusion: Inadequate knowledge of BLS/ACLS principles amongst healthcare professionals, especially physicians, illuminate lacunae in existing training systems and merit urgent redressal.
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Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5143309 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2016.04.004 | DOI Listing |
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