Effects of a Body Weight Exercise Training Program on Improving Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Performance Outcomes

Cardiac arrests are highly fatal and require immediate medical attention. Hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is effective for improving survival rates, but rescuers experience fatigue during chest compressions, which negatively impacts quality. We aimed to develop a feasible body weight–based exercise training program to improve CPR quality among CPR-certified nursing students. Twenty participants completed 6 weeks of three self-paced, 15-minute sessions. CPR performance quality assessments were recorded prior to the program, at midpoint, at completion, and at a 2-week follow-up. Improvements were observed at completion and follow-up. We offer promising evidence for a safe and feasible training program that can improve hands-only CPR quality, thereby better preparing rescuers for critical care. This program has implications for increasing the competency of healthcare professionals and could be utilized by healthcare administrators to promote CPR quality. Healthcare administrators may utilize the program to improve CPR quality among employees who need to increase physical fitness and professional competency.