Doctors at UT Southwestern discover short course CPR training works best

O.K., trainees, man your mini-manikins.

by John P. Meyer

Who knew there was a monthly medical journal called Resuscitation, devoted entirely to things resuscitative. (I wonder if they're still coming up with new and different ways to resuscitate folks - such as, maybe, mainlining tomato catsup or snorting licorice shavings?)

Anyway, in the August issue of said journal you might - if you actually obtained and browsed a copy - run across an article by researchers at the UT Southwestern Medical Center (led by the pixieish Dr. Lynn Roppolo, who I hearby grant authorization to resuscitate me at her whim, whether I need it or not) which finds that a straightforward 30-minute video-based CPR training session works just as well as a traditional three to four hour course. Furthermore, six months out from the training, those who took the short course did just as well as participants in the more extensive traditional training when it came to using their skills to save lives.

According to Dr. Roppolo (who, if the producers are at the top of their game, will be prominently featured on the video, manipulating the plastic mini-manikin in all sorts of recuperative ways), "individuals practice while they learn, allowing more time to perform and retain the critical hands-on skills required to provide more effective CPR. All of these factors will likely translate into more people knowing what to do — and doing it right — whenever CPR is needed. As a result, hopefully, many more lives will be saved in years to come.” Yowza!

Folks living in Fort Worth were recruited to participate in the study, randomly being selected to participate in either the 30-minute short course or the traditional three-hour session which consists of a series of lectures (probably not conducted by the raven-haired Dr. Roppolo) supplemented by video-based instruction and practice of various CPR skills, including the use of the well-known paddles.

Students matriculating from both curricula were graded on their resuscitative skills both immediately following instruction and again six months later; interestingly, while both groups scored equally just after training, the short course crew exceeded the performance of the long form folks at the later testing session. Furthermore, it took them less time to assess the signs of life and begin whacking away with their paddles, or whatever it is you do to bring someone back from the light. (I haven't taken either of the courses, but plan on doing so as soon as I arrange for a private session with Dr. Roppolo.)