Assessment of knowledge and skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation assimilated by primary health care professionals

Abstract

AIMS: To assess the theoretical knowledge retention and skills assimilation by primary health care professionals in cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. METHODS: Quantitative study involving participants in cardiorespiratory arrest training, held between August 2013 and July 2014. To assess the knowledge retention after one year, the same multiple-choice test on the training content that had been applied immediately after the training was reapplied. The averages of the two test scores were compared by means of the Wilcoxon test, significance being set at 5%. Skill assimilation was assessed using the Objective Structured Clinical Examination tool, which consists of four practical stations with different actions and a maximum length of eight minutes each, according to the objectives the students are expected to achieve. Station 1: correct sequence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in adults; station 2: effective practice of chest compressions in adults; station 3: correct use of automated external defibrillator in adults; station 4: effective clearance of infant airway. The total score per workstation was ten points. RESULTS: Most of the 89 professionals in the sample were female (87.6%), with an average age of 37.3±9.9. Forty-eight professionals (53.9%) worked as community health agents. In the knowledge retention analysis, the mean number of right answers dropped when comparing the averages immediately after training (9.5±0.9) and one year later (7.5±1.7) (p<0.001). In the skills assimilation, the students' best final averages were identified in stations 2 (7.3±1.7) and 3 (7.3±1.6), followed by station 1 (6.2±2.0). In the station about infant airway clearance, the professionals' performance was low (final average 3.2±1.8). CONCLUSIONS: The theoretical knowledge retention on cardiopulmonary resuscitation could be considered partially satisfactory, with an observed drop one year after the training. Concerning the skills, the professionals performed well in the practical stations, except for the care related to infant airway clearance.