Improved basic life support performance by ward nurses using the CAREvent Public Access Resuscitator (PAR) in a simulated setting.

INTRODUCTION: The CAREvent Public Access Resuscitator (PAR, O-Two Medical Technologies, Ontario, Canada) is a new oxygen-driven device alternating two ventilations with 15 prompts for chest compressions. The PAR is designed for use with a standard resuscitation face mask and is equipped with mask leakage and obstruction alarms. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of basic life support (BLS) by hospital nurses and to evaluate if BLS with the PAR is better than BLS using the mouth-to-mask technique.

METHODS: The study group consisted of 352 nurses from Ghent University Hospital working outside the critical care and emergency departments. BLS skills were measured using a Laerdal Skillreporter manikin (Laerdal, Norway) connected to a Laerdal PC Skillreporting system. To assess base line skills, 200 nurses were tested without previous notice in single rescuer BLS using a pocket mask (PM, Laerdal, Norway) or a bag-valve mask device (Laerdal, Norway) over a period of 2 min. A separate consecutive sample of 152 nurses was randomised to the PM or PAR groups after a standard BLS refresher course. The PAR group received a short period of training in PAR use. Immediately after training, both groups performed the 2 min single rescuer BLS test.

RESULTS: Unprepared nurses achieved only 26 compressions and 3 ventilations/min. Immediately after training, nurses using the PAR delivered 54 compressions/min as opposed to 35 for the PM group (p<0.0001). PAR users ventilated six times/min compared to five times for PM users (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION: Immediately after training, the use of the PAR improved BLS performance by ward nurses significantly, bringing the number of ventilations and compressions per minute close to the theoretical maximum achievable within the current guidelines. Retention tests after 6 and 12 months will show if the effect is sustained.