Impact of adding video communication to dispatch instructions on the quality of rescue breathing in simulated cardiac arrests—A randomized controlled study

• Published in: Resuscitation Vol. 78; no. 3; pp. 327 - 332
• Main Authors: Yang, Chih-Wei, Wang, Hui-Chih, Chiang, Wen-Chu, Chang, Wei-Tien, Yen, Zui-Shen, Chen, Shey-Ying, Ko, Patrick Chow-In, Ma, Matthew Huei-Ming, Chen, Shyr-Chyr, Chang, Shan-Chwen, Lin, Fang-Yue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01-09-2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Airway; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Bystander CPR; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); Cell Phone; Dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Emergency; Emergency and intensive cardiocirculatory care. Cardiogenic shock. Coronary intensive care; Emergency Medical Service Communication Systems; Female; Heart Arrest - therapy; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Models, Cardiovascular; Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation; Out-of-hospital CPR; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care); Remote Consultation - instrumentation; Reproducibility of Results; Rescue breathing; Respiration, Artificial; Video cell phone; Videoconferencing - instrumentation; Bystander CPR; Rescue breathing; Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation; Video cell phone; Out-of-hospital CPR; Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); Airway; Dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Intensive cardiocirculatory care; Rescue; Cardiocirculatory arrest; Intensive care; Cardiovascular disease; Dispatcher; Out of hospital
• ISSN: 0300-9572; 1873-1570
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2008.03.232

Summary Objective Both ventilations and compressions are important for victims of prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and asphyxial arrest. Dispatch assistance increases bystander CPR, but the quality of dispatcher-assisted CPR (DA-CPR), especially rescue breathing, remains unsatisfactory. This study was conducted to assess the impact of adding interactive video communication to dispatch instructions on the quality of rescue breathing in simulated cardiac arrests. Methods In this simulation-based study, adults without CPR training within 5 years were recruited between April and July 2007 and randomized to receive dispatch assistance with either voice instruction alone (voice group, n = 53) or interactive voice and video instruction (video group, n = 43) via a video cell phone. The quality of rescue breathing was evaluated by reviewing the videos and mannequin reports. Results Subjects in the video group were more likely to open the airway correctly (95.3% vs. 58.5%, P < 0.01) and to lift the chin properly (95.3% vs. 62.3%, P < 0.01), but had similar rates of head-tilt (95.3% vs. 84.9%, P = 0.10). Volunteers in the video group had larger volume of ventilation (median volume 540 ml vs. 0 ml, P < 0.01), greater possibility to sustain an open airway (88.4% vs. 60.4%, P < 0.01) and a tendency towards better nose-pinch (97.7% vs. 86.8%, P = 0.06). The video group spent longer time to open the airway (59 s vs. 56 s, P < 0.05) and to give the first rescue breathing (139 s vs. 102 s, P < 0.01). Conclusion Adding video communication to dispatch instructions improved the quality of bystander rescue breathing, including higher proportion of airway opened, and larger volume of ventilation delivered, in simulated cardiac arrests.