Background: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills are simple and can be mastered easily. Knowledge about these interventions and their potential benefits can aid resuscitative efforts and improve survival. These facts mandate that all healthcare providers, irrespective of their specialty, level of training, or work setting, be competent in initiating and performing CPR.
Aim: To assess the level of knowledge of healthcare providers about which CPR modalities, interventions, and medications for nontraumatic cardiac arrest have been proven beneficial in terms of return of spontaneous circulation, intact neurological function, and mortality.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. A standardized electronic questionnaire was formed based on a literature review to assess the knowledge of healthcare providers working in Saudi Arabia about CPR interventions and medications. Responses of the participants were collected via Google Forms and SurveyMonkey. The data were analyzed in Statistical Package for the Social Science V27 to answer the questions of interest.
Results: Only 16% of the participants had good knowledge (score >80%) of which CPR modalities have benefit. Physicians ranked the highest, followed by technicians, while nurses and emergency medical services professionals ranked the lowest among the study participants. Being certified in life support courses was not associated with a higher level of knowledge.
Conclusion: The overall level of knowledge of healthcare providers of different CPR modalities was average (score = 60%-80%) which is below expectation. Efforts should be made to improve this knowledge among healthcare providers to understand which modalities benefit patients in cardiopulmonary arrest better.
Key words: Evidence based medicine, cardiac arrest, epinephrine, emergencies, health personnel, prognosis.
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