Cardiac Arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Knowledge at an Academic Research Organization in Durham, NC

Objectives: Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is critical in the chain of survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. In the United States, overall survival remains 7%–8%. Public knowledge of cardiac arrest and CPR skills is not well described. Methods: We implemented a CPR awareness/training program at a large academic research organization. At baseline, employees completed an online survey to gauge confidence with CPR and knowledge of cardiac arrest and CPR skills. The program included expert lectures, a documentary of a patient’s cardiac arrest, and a video demonstration of hands-only CPR. Afterward, trained volunteer instructors evaluated the practical CPR skills of participants. An online post-program survey followed. Results: In total, 173 employees completed the pre-program survey; 67.6% had been previously trained in CPR, 59.8% of whom were trained ≥5 years previously. At baseline, a minority of respondents were aware that cardiac arrest is associated with high mortality (19.7%) or that most cardiac arrests occur at home (23.7%). While 83.8% of respondents knew correct hand placement for CPR, only 27.2% and 28.9% knew correct compression rate or depth, respectively. After program implementation, significant improvements were observed for cardiac arrest and CPR skills knowledge. Confidence with performing CPR increased from 44.5% to 86.3%. Employees who participated in manikin practice, compared with those who did not, were more likely to correctly answer CPR-performance questions. Conclusions: Cardiac arrest and CPR knowledge is not optimal at our organization. Community awareness is likely lower than observed. These data highlight opportunities for CPR-awareness programs in academic settings and in the community.