Knowledge and Competency of Healthcare Professionals and Medical Students in Cardiac Arrest and CPR in Pakistan: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background and Aims: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest stands as the primary cause of worldwide mortality. Therefore, all healthcare workers must comprehensively understand and practically apply cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). To address the paucity of literature on this subject, we conducted a nationwide survey among healthcare professionals in Pakistan. Methods: This nationwide cross-sectional study was based on an online questionnaire. The sample pool comprised healthcare professionals and medical students from all over Pakistan. The survey comprised 18 questions aimed to assess the comprehension of CPR, determine the source of their basic life support (BLS) training, and evaluate their competence in performing CPR in real-life situations. Results: The sample size consisted of 951 participants from Pakistan. A total of 712 responders (75%) reported having received CPR or CPR with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) course, and the same percentage reported that their respective universities had organized the course. The responders reported that the BLS course was made mandatory in only 60% of cases. Most of the respondents were first-year medical students (21%) and postgraduates (21%). Most of the respondents (78%) professed that the courses had been theoretical as well as practical, and 66% felt confident enacting CPR in out-of-hospital settings. Overall, no province was able to achieve a score of greater than 50% when assessed about their knowledge regarding cardiac arrest and CPR. Conclusion: This study provides a detailed insight into Pakistan healthcare workers' CPR knowledge and perceptions belonging to different provinces, institutes, designations, and specialties. The participants reported being confident in performing CPR but demonstrated gaps when assessed regarding the revised guidelines and their performance in different scenarios. There is room for further research in overcoming the language barriers and other discrepancies faced by this study.