Simulation-Based CPR Workshop for University Students at Eastern International University

Overview

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a simulation-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) workshop in improving knowledge, practical skills, attitudes, and self-efficacy among university students at Eastern International University, Vietnam. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival rates in Vietnam remain low, partly due to limited bystander CPR and lack of AED use. University students, especially those outside healthcare fields, represent a large and accessible population who could serve as first responders in emergencies. The workshop is designed according to the NLN Jeffries Simulation Framework and current American Heart Association guidelines. It includes instructor-led demonstrations, hands-on practice using manikins, scenario-based simulations, and structured debriefing. The training focuses on essential CPR steps, AED operation, and teamwork in emergency situations. This randomized waitlist-controlled trial will assign participants to either an immediate training group or a waitlist control group who will receive the same training after the follow-up phase. Primary outcomes include improvements in CPR skills, measured through a standardized performance checklist. Secondary outcomes include knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitudes toward performing CPR. Assessments will be conducted before, immediately after, and three months after the intervention. Findings from this study will provide empirical evidence on the impact of simulation-based CPR education for non-healthcare university students in Vietnam. The results could support integrating CPR workshops into university curricula and scaling up community-based emergency response training programs to increase bystander CPR rates and improve OHCA survival.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a serious public health challenge, with low survival rates in many countries, including Vietnam, where bystander CPR is rarely performed, and AEDs are seldom used in public. Previous studies in Vietnam show limited CPR knowledge, skills, and willingness to act among non-healthcare university students. Despite evidence supporting simulation-based CPR education in other countries, no randomized controlled trial has evaluated such an intervention for this population in Vietnam. This study is a randomized waitlist-controlled trial designed to evaluate a simulation-based CPR workshop for university students at Eastern International University. Participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention group or a waitlist control group. The intervention group will receive the workshop immediately, while the waitlist control group will receive it after the follow-up assessment, ensuring equitable training for all participants. The workshop, based on the NLN Jeffries Simulation Framework and aligned with American Heart Association guidelines, includes pre-briefing, instructor-led demonstrations, hands-on skill practice with manikins, realistic scenario simulations, and structured debriefing. Training emphasizes high-quality chest compressions, effective ventilations, AED use, scene safety, and teamwork. Primary outcomes will focus on improvements in CPR skills, assessed using a standardized performance checklist. Secondary outcomes will measure CPR knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy using validated instruments. Data will be collected at baseline, immediately post-training, and at three months follow-up. Statistical analyses will include repeated measures ANOVA to assess changes over time and between groups. By addressing a critical gap in Vietnam's CPR education, this study aims to provide empirical evidence supporting the integration of simulation-based CPR training into non-medical university curricula. If proven effective, the model could be scaled to other educational and community settings, contributing to improved bystander CPR rates and better OHCA survival outcomes.