Poor correlation of mouth-to-mouth ventilation skills after basic life support training and 6 months later

• Published in: Resuscitation 1997-10, Vol.35 (2), p.129-134
• Main Authors: Wenzel, Volker, Lehmkuhl, Peter, Kubilis, Paul S, Idris, Ahamed H, Pichlmayr, Ina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Artificial respiration; Basic life support; Cardiac arrest; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation - education; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation - standards; Clinical Competence; Education, Medical, Undergraduate; Educational Measurement; Female; Germany; Hospitals, University; Humans; Life Support Care - standards; Male; Manikin; Manikins; Respiration, Artificial - methods; Respiratory Function Tests; Resuscitation; Retention; Students, Medical; Tidal Volume; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0300-9572; 1873-1570
• DOI: 10.1016/S0300-9572(97)00044-0

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills of medical students after a 2-h basic life support class ( n=129) and 6 months later ( n=113). Mean±SD written test score decreased from 6.4±0.7 to 6.2±0.8 ( P=0.03). Mean±SD breaths delivered before CPR decreased from 2.9±0.6 to 2.2±1.2 ( P=0.0001), ventilation rate increased from 12.2±1.9 to 14.3±5.0 breaths/min ( P=0.0001), tidal volume increased from 0.75±0.2 to 0.8±0.3 l ( P=0.11), minute ventilation from 9.1±2.6 to 10.8±3.6 l ( P=0.0001), and stomach inflation from 13±22 to 18±27% of CPR breaths ( P=0.11). Mean±SD chest compressions/min decreased from 56±9 to 54±12 ( P=0.34), depth of chest compressions increased from 41±6 to 46±7 mm ( P=0.0001), hands held incorrectly on the thorax increased from 22±27 to 23±32% ( P=0.59), and leaning on the chest from 4±12 to 18±28% of compressions ( P