Authors (including presenting author) :
Yeung CY (1), So KY (1), Cheung HHT (2), Ko HF (2), Lee A (2)
Affiliation :
(1) Accident and Emergency Department, Queen Elizabeth Hospital
(2) Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Introduction :
Equipping the public with life-saving skills including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillators (AED) could potentially help improve Hong Kong’s low survival rate in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We determined the feasibility of using trained secondary school teachers as instructors of CPR and AED.
Objectives :
(1) To compare the students’ performance skill passing rate of compression-only CPR and AED between trained teachers and healthcare professionals instructor groups
(2) To compare the change in students’ knowledge and attitudes towards CPR between instructor groups
(3) To assess the recruitment and uptake of secondary school teachers interested in teaching the CO-CPRAED course
(4) To measure trained teachers’ change in knowledge and attitudes towards teaching CPR
Methodology :
We randomized students at 3 secondary schools to a 2-hour CO-CPRAED course taught by either trained secondary school teachers or healthcare professionals. Trained students were assessed by blinded assessors for CPR and AED skills. Outcome measures included passing rate for students’ CPR/AED performance skills, change in knowledge and attitudes in students and teachers and uptake (%) of trained secondary school teachers as instructors for CO-CPRAED courses.
Result & Outcome :
Eleven of 40 school teachers (28%) volunteered to teach the CO-CPRAED course to their students. Trained teachers’ knowledge scores substantially improved after training (36%) but their attitude towards teaching CPR was only moderately positive. Ninety-seven (89.0%) of 109 students in the teacher instructor group and 99 (92.5%) of 107 in the healthcare professional instructor group passed the skills assessment (mean difference -3.5%, 95% CI: -12.8% to 5.7%; P=0.45). Students improved their knowledge scores after training and had very positive attitudes towards CPR throughout the study period in both groups.
Teacher instructors were non-inferior to healthcare professional instructors for teaching the CO-CPRAED course. The study is ongoing and will be completed in May 2023. CPR and AED training in secondary schools taught by trained teachers in Hong Kong appears feasible and may be considered for inclusion into future school curriculums.
