Background The significant risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to healthcare staff mandated changes to Basic and Advanced Life Support (BLS and ALS) guidelines. As advised by the European Resuscitation Council (ERC), healthcare staff should put on airborne-precaution personal protective equipment (PPE) before starting chest compressions and/or airway interventions, as a minimum an FFP3 mask (FFP2 or N95 if FFP3 not available), eye and face protection and long-sleeved gown. However, wearing FFP3 masks has been shown to highly impair cardiopulmonary exercise capacity and the effect of wearing PPE on the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation is not known. The aim of this project is therefore to to investigate whether wearing PPE has an effect on the quality of chest compressions. Methods The study forsees a simulated CPR scenario on manikins. Study participants are lay rescuers and members of the rescue organization Croce Bianca. Each participant will perform 5 sequences consisting of 2 min of chest compressions altered by 2 min of no chest compressions (break), as recommended by the current ERC guidelines. The participants will perform the described CPR sequence two times in a cross-over design with randomized order, once while wearing PPE and once without wearing PPE. Between the two CPR sequences (i.e. with and without PPE) a break of 60 min for recovery will be given. During both CPR sequences, the quality of chest compressions will be measured.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
34
Wearing of PPE (FFP3 mask, gloves, eye protection, long-sleeved gown)
Standard CPR without wearing PPE
Headquarter of "Croce Bianca" EMS organization
Bolzano, Italy
Depth of chest compression
Difference in chest compression depth during a simulated cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on manikins when performed with and without wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).
Time frame: 20 minutes of CPR
Chest compression rate
Difference in chest compression rate during a simulated cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on manikins when performed with and without wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).
Time frame: 20 minutes of CPR
Relaxation
Difference in the percentage of compressions with incomplete release during a simulated cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on manikins when performed with and without wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).
Time frame: 20 minutes of CPR
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