Willingness to perform mouth-to-mouth ventilation by health care providers: a survey.
BACKGROUND
During cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), mouth-to-mouth ventilation (MTM) is only effective if rescuers are willing to perform it.


METHODS
To assess the degree of willingness or reluctance in performing MTM, a survey including 17 hypothetical scenarios was created. In each scenario health hazards for the rescuer needed to be balanced against the patient's need for MTM. Respondents were recruited from health care workers attending courses at a medical simulation center. Respondents reported their willingness or reluctance to perform MTM for each scenario using a 4 point scale.


RESULTS
The questionnaire had responses by 560 health care workers. Reluctance to perform MTM varied with the scenario. Some health care workers refused to ventilate patients who could benefit from MTM. In all scenarios even when resuscitation was both futile and potentially hazardous, some health care workers were willing to perform MTM. Age and level of experience tend to reduce the propensity to engage in MTM. Parental propensity to ventilate one's own child was stronger than any other motivator.


CONCLUSIONS
HIV infection is not the only condition for which rescuers hesitate to perform MTM. Bag-valve-mask devices for mechanical ventilation should be available in all locations where health care workers may be called upon to resuscitate apneic patients making the decision to perform MTM moot.
Boucek
Charles D
CD
Department of Anesthesiology, Montefiore University Hospital, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. boucekcd@anes.upmc.edu
Phrampus
Paul
P
Lutz
John
J
Dongilli
Thomas
T
Bircher
Nicholas G
NG
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires