Repositioning a Patient Prior to CPR Initiation in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Scoping Review

Objective: To identify published studies that investigate repositioning patients for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Introduction: OHCA is a time-sensitive emergency where prompt, high-quality bystander CPR has been shown to improve survival outcomes. Dispatcher-Assisted CPR (DA-CPR) instructs bystanders to position the patient to be flat on their back on the floor prior to beginning CPR, however, this has been reported as a delay to initiation of chest compressions. Recent International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) recommendations suggest that moving a patient should only occur when practical and without significant delay to CPR. Eligibility Criteria: This review will consider evidence relating to OHCA patients who require repositioning to a supine position on the floor by bystanders before DA-CPR can be initiated by emergency medical dispatchers. The concept of interest is the need to reposition a patient flat on their back on the floor prior to CPR initiation. The review will include studies conducted in any out-of-hospital setting, including private residences, public spaces, and residential care facilities. Real world and simulation studies will be included. There will be no restrictions on publication date, but only papers with an English language abstract will be considered. Methods: This Scoping Review will be conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute manual for evidence synthesis. The databases of MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and Google Scholar will be searched using keywords relevant to the eligibility criteria. Data from included papers will be extracted using a bespoke extraction form. Key findings will be categorised into themes and presented in tabular form with an accompanying narrative description.