Cpr and Aed Training for Adolescents

Abstract

Background: There are over 350,000 incidences of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) that occur each year. It has been found that favorable outcomes and survival rates increase when cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is immediately initiated. Implementing CPR training into the school curriculum for adolescents increases the overall population of those trained in this life-saving skill. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to improve survival rates and outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) by increasing the number of students trained in CPR and AED’s. Methods: The data collection included passing around an attendance sheet for the students to check a box to note their attendance and marking yes or no if they had previously received training in CPR. The health teachers were given a two-question survey to determine their satisfaction with the training and if they would integrate CPR training into their health curriculum. Results: A total of 287 students were trained in CPR and how to use an AED, of which 169 had prior training. The survey reflected 100% of the teachers were both satisfied with the training curriculum and were willing to integrate it into their curriculum. Conclusion: CPR is an important life-saving skill that may decrease morbidity and mortality associated with OHCA. A significant portion of the country has recognized the importance of implementing CPR training into high school curriculum to increase the overall population of those trained. This project demonstrated the ease of implementing CPR training in a high school and the teachers desire to include this important life-saving skill into their curriculum.