Improving infant CPR training at an academic medical center using a medical student-led program

Abstract

Improving infant CPR training at an academic medical center using a medical student-led program Infants are at a seven-times higher risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) compared to any other paediatric age group, with most OHCA occurrences within previously healthy infants [1,2]. Contrary to this statistic, our institution, St. Louis Children's hospital, previously offered infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training only to caregivers of patients in intensive care units (ICUs). To address this important gap, we developed a program in which volunteer medical students facilitated infant CPR training courses for caregivers of infants admitted to the non-ICU units of the hospital. The goal of this program was to improve training rates among caregivers of this sensitive patient population. The medical student program was comprised of a two-level hierarchy scheme. Student coordinators were selected at the onset of each academic year to train new student facilitators, organize the training schedule, and collect data. Facilitators recruited caregivers from non-ICU wards prior to each twice weekly course. Each course consisted of video-and psychomotor-based infant CPR training using the American Heart Association's (AHA) Family and Friends ® infant CPR video and infant manikins, respectively.