There are multiple models to train school students to provide effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and apply automatic external defibrillator (AED). However, few have assessed gamified, video-based training to teach school children. This national project aimed to assess the acceptability and effectiveness of a video-based, gamified educational program (CardiacCrash™), to teach students in classroom setting, how to respond to a cardiac arrest. This interrupted time series study assessed students’ acceptability of the program, their perceived confidence in responding to cardiac arrest and their effectiveness at performing CPR. Paper-based surveys administered before and after the educational sessions. CPR performance (rate, depth) for students was measured quantitatively using Laerdal Resusci Anne QCPR manikins. A total of 1958 students from 21 schools in three Canadian provinces participated between October 2023 and June 2024 (average age of 13± 2.4 years). About 49.7% (969) were male and 54.8% were secondary school students. About 42.3% had prior CPR training. Students reported: the program was easy to understand (83.5%), fun (90.2%), the right length (72.0%), and they would recommend to friends (88.9%). The self-confidence of all school students increased significantly in all outcome measures post-training, particularly in those without prior CPR training. All students achieved appropriate CPR depth and rate, as per guidelines; however, secondary students were significantly better at providing effective compressions compared to elementary students. A novel, gamified, video-based, educational program is acceptable to school-aged children and appears effective at teaching them CPR and AED usage.
Allan et al. (Sun,) studied this question.