Evaluation of Chest Compression Quality and Appropriateness in the Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Background/Objective: This study aimed to verify the quality and the appropriateness of pediatric CPR chest compressions according to 2015 Korean Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care.

Method/Statistical Analysis: The participants of this study were 64 EMT and nursing students who were quailified as BLS providers. Four sets of 5 CPR cycles were performed with one hand and two hands at the ratio of chest compression (30 times) to respiration (2 times), and fatigue was confirmed by NRS(numeral rating scale). Collected data were analyzed using frequency, descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and repeated measure ANOVA by SPSS 22.0.

Findings: While the total number of chest compressions (629.6 times vs. 618.3 times, p=.016) and hands-off time (6.6 sec vs. 6.9 sec, p=.006) were effective for one-handed chest compression, average pressure depth (42.2mm vs. 43.8mm, p<.001), sufficient chest compression depth rate (83.0% vs. 89.1%, p=.038) and fatigue (7.0 points vs. 6.2 points, p=.040) were more effective in two-handed chest compressions. In addition, there were significant differences in the average chest compression depth over time(p=.003) and the total elapsed time (p=.332), but no significant difference in inappropriate chest compression.

Improvements/Applications: Performing pediatric CPR according to the 2015 Guidelines for Pediatric Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is acceptable, but it is necessary to consider two-hand chest compression more than one hand compression.