Blended Distance-classroom Training as an Alternative to the Traditional Classroom Training in Basic Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillation

Introduction. Early bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a critical factor in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival, and the readiness of bystanders to provide the first aid is known to be positively influenced by effective training. It is recommended to use alternative teaching methods in order to increase the accessibility of CPR training. The study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of the blended approach to resuscitation training, where classroom training hours are partially substituted with remote learning.

Material and methods. This prospective randomized study was conducted in November-December 2018. Nursing students and nonmedical university students underwent classroom training (1 hour of lecture, 3 hours of hands-on training) or blended training (1 hour of on-line course, 3 hours of hands-on training) in basic CPR with automated external defibrillation (AED). CPR knowledge and willingness to attempt resuscitation were evaluated before and after the training, and resuscitation skills were assessed as well after training in a simulation scenario. CPR quality measures were registered using the skills checklist when analyzing video recordings, and automatically by means of the Resusci Anne QCPR manikin.

Results. The training and the study assessments were completed by 94 participants: 55 - classroom training, 39 - blended training. The mean age was 19 years and 17 years, respectively, 24% and 31% were male. Whereas there were more participants with previous training in CPR in the classroom training group (36% vs. 13%; p<0.05), the baseline levels of knowledge and readiness to perform resuscitation on a stranger were generally comparable between the groups. After the training, there was an increase in willingness to perform resuscitation (from 3.6 to 4.4 points in both groups) and improvement in self-perceived CPR knowledge (from 2.4 to 4.0 points in the classroom training group and from 2.6 to 4.3 in the blended training group). The assessment of the CPR quality in the simulation scenario revealed no significant differences between groups, excepting higher rate of chest compressions in the blended training group (116.0 vs. 109.4, р<0.01).

Conclusion. The suggested method of blended training in basic CPR with AED is no less efficient than traditional classroom training, and it can be recommended for increasing access to high-quality training in first aid.

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