Online training to improve BLS performance with dispatcher assistance? Results of a cluster-randomised controlled simulation trial

Abstract Background The prognosis for patients improves significantly with effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed by bystanders. Current research indicates that individuals who receive CPR from trained bystanders have a greater likelihood of survival compared to those who receive dispatcher-assisted CPR from untrained laypersons. This cluster-randomised controlled trial assessed the impact of a 30-min online training session prior to a simulated cardiac arrest situation with dispatcher-assisted CPR (DA-CPR) on enhancing Basic Life Support (BLS) performance. Methods This study was performed in 2018 in Hamburg, Germany. The primary outcome was the practical BLS skills of high school students in simulated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest scenarios with dispatcher assistance. The intervention group participants underwent a 30-min online BLS training session, while the control group did not receive an intervention. It was hypothesized that the average practical BLS scores of the intervention group would be 1.5 points higher than those of the control group. Results BLS assessments of 286 students of 16 different classes were analysed. The estimated mean BLS score in the intervention group was 7.60 points (95% CI: 6.76 to 8.44) compared to 6.81 (95% CI: 5.97 to 7.65) in the control group adjusted for BLS training and class . Therefore, the estimated mean difference between the groups was 0.79 (95% CI: -0.40 to 1.97) and not significantly different ( p -value: 0.176). Based on a logistic regression analysis the intervention had only a significant effect on the chance to pass the item “vertically above the chest” (OR = 4.99; 95% CI: 1.46 to 17.12) adjusted for BLS training and class . Conclusion Prior online training exhibits beneficial impacts on the BLS performance of bystanders during DA-CPR. To maximise the effect size, online training should be incorporated into a set of interventions that are mutually complementary and specifically designed for the target participants. Trial registration DRKS00033531 . "Kann online Training Laien darauf vorbereiten Reanimationsmaßnahmen unter Anleitung der Leitstelle adäquat durchzuführen? " Registered on January 29, 2024.