Ventilation Performance and Feedback Simulation Trial

The study "Understanding the Effect of Feedback on Ventilation Performance of Rescuers in a Simulation Trial" will address treatments administered by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in simulated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Guidelines have recommended delivering assisted rescue breaths at a volume of 500-600 mL or until chest rise. Current standard of practice for CPR strategies is either to deliver 2 rescue breaths during a pause after 30 chest compressions or 1 rescue breath at a rate of 10 breaths per minute during continuous chest compressions. Scientific studies have shown that EMS clinicians have administered rescue breath volumes and rates that can be too high or too low; both extremes can be harmful to patient lungs and outcomes. Despite guideline recommendations on volumes, EMS performance and adherence to specific targets with real-time feedback have not been well tested and compared between the two CPR strategies. Thus, the goal of this trial is to learn if visual feedback improves ventilation performance of rescuers, and assess whether this differs when comparing the two CPR strategies.

The study will address two primary aims:

Aim 1. Test whether adherence to specific targets improves with real-time visual feedback during CPR. The hypothesis is that real-time visual feedback will result in a higher rate of adherence to specific targets.

Aim 2. To compare adherence to specific targets during CPR strategy of 30:2 chest compressions: rescue breaths versus continuous chest compressions and rescue breaths. The hypothesis is that rescue breaths delivered during interrupted chest compressions will result in better compliance with specific targets than those delivered during continuous chest compressions.

Inclusion criteria

• Age >= 18 years
• Credentialed EMS

Exclusion criteria

• EMS Instructor
• Inactive EMS role