Evaluation of the effectiveness of chest compression in cardiopulmonary resusitation with personal protective equipment, mannequin study

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) improves patient outcomes and reduces mortality, especially during the pandemic and in hazardous situations with PPE. In our study, we examined the effect of PPE on CPR quality and rescuer fatigue. We compared the standard 2-minute rotation with a 1-minute rotation to see if shorter intervals could improve chest compression quality. METHODS: Our study involved Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics at Sakarya University Education and Research Hospital Emergency Department. They had little or no experience with CPR. Participants were asked to perform chest compressions on a Laerdal adult CPR training model in both 2-minute and 1-minute rotations. Applicator chest compression effectiveness and rSO2 were measured. Fatigue levels were determined using VAS and BORG scales after application. Data on the procedures were recorded, statistically analyzed, and published.. FINDINGS: In our study, there was no significant difference in resuscitation time (1-minute vs 2-minute) according to the Borg fatigue scale. 6% preferred 1-minute resuscitation and had better total compression depth and success compared to 2-minute resuscitation. There was a significant difference in rSO2 changes before and after resuscitation in the 2-minute group (p=0.041), but not in the 1-minute group. CONCLUSION: While a more successful number and depth of compressions were achieved in 1-minute resuscitation compared to 2-minute resuscitation, fewer fatigue findings were observed in the applicators in 1-minute resuscitation. As a result of our study, we believe that 1-minute resuscitation may be more effective than 2-minute resuscitation in the presence of PPE. KEYWORDS: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, chest compression, fatigue scale, personal protective equipment