Objectives: To evaluate the effect of training strategy on team deployment of a mechanical chest compression device.
Design: Randomised controlled manikin trial.
Setting: Large teaching hospital in the UK.
Participants: Twenty teams, each comprising three clinicians. Participating individuals were health professionals with intermediate or advanced resuscitation training.
Interventions: Teams were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive either standard mechanical chest compression device training or pit-crew device training. Training interventions lasted up to 1 h. Performance was measured immediately after training in a standardised simulated cardiac arrest scenario in which teams were required to deploy a mechanical chest compression device.
Primary and secondary outcome measures: Primary outcome was chest compression flow fraction in the minute preceding the first mechanical chest compression. Secondary outcomes included cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality and mechanical device deployment metrics, and non-technical skill performance. Outcomes were assessed using video recordings of the test scenario.
Results: In relation to the primary outcome of chest compression flow fraction in the minute preceding the first mechanical chest compression, we found that pit-crew training was not superior to standard training (0.76 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.79) vs 0.77 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.82), mean difference -0.01 (95% CI -0.06 to 0.03), P=0.572). There was also no difference between groups in performance in relation to any secondary outcome.
Conclusions: Pit-crew training, compared with standard training, did not improve team deployment of a mechanical chest device in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario.
Trial registration number: ISRCTN43049287; Pre-results.
Keywords: adult intensive and critical care; clinical trials.
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