Is Anyone Ready to Save a Life? An Examination of Cardiac Emergency Preparedness in Schools

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study explored the cardiac emergency preparedness of school employees in Illinois, as well as their attitudes toward cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training. METHODS: One thousand two hundred seventy-six school employees completed an online survey regarding their school's cardiac emergency preparedness, as well as their access to CPR/AED training, confidence and willingness to perform CPR/AED, and attitudes toward CPR policies and mandates. RESULTS: In total, results from 1273 school employees were analyzed. School employees in Illinois are not prepared to respond to a cardiac emergency, but desire training, plans, and drills. Demographic analyses revealed statistically significant differences in cardiac emergency preparedness between individuals of different personal and school characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: School employees in Illinois are not prepared to respond to a cardiac emergency. To increase preparedness for cardiac emergencies at school, schools should implement CPR/AED training for all employees, cardiac emergency response plans, and cardiac emergency response drills. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: Policies should be implemented at the state and local level to support cardiac emergency preparedness in schools, including mandated CPR/AED training for all school employees, cardiac emergency response plans for every building, and required cardiac emergency response drills.