A study of cardiopulmonary resuscitation literacy among the personnel of universities of medical sciences based in Kermanshah and Khuzestan provinces based on the latest 2015 cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is regarded as the most important skill of the medical staff who is required to be aware of the latest changes to the CPR guidelines so that they can take the most effective actions in the critical conditions of CPR. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the levels of CPR literacy among the personnel of universities of medical sciences based in Kermanshah and Khuzestan provinces based on the latest 2015 CPR guidelines in 2019.

In this descriptive, analytical, cross‑sectional study, 525 subjects were selected as the sample population using the two‑stage cluster sampling. For data collection, a researcher‑made questionnaire was used, whose content validity and reliability were confirmed (r = 0.71). The study screened the data received and analyzed valid data set through the ttest and Spearman’s correlation coefficient by incorporating SPSS Statistics software version 23.0. In addition, P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The 2015 CPR literacy levels of the samples were as follows: excellent (85 subjects or 16.2%), good (404 subjects or 77%), and average (36 subjects or 6.9%). The results of Pearson’s correlation coefficient revealed a weak and inverse relationship between the levels of CPR literacy and the age of samples (r = −0.092) and work experience (−0.029), which were statistically significant. In addition, the results of Mann–Whitney U‑test demonstrated that the level of CPR literacy among the personnel of Ahwaz University of Medical Sciences exceeded that among the personnel of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (P < 0.001).

It is suggested that in retraining the nursing and paramedical personnel, CPR be carried out with more emphasis on the changes introduced in this guideline compared to that in 2010, including esophageal tracheal airway, reasons for the cessation of CPR, intraosseous infusion, and induced hypothermia.