Prospective evaluation of tools to assess the psychological response of CPR provision to a relative who has suffered a cardiac arrest: a pilot project.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to evaluate assessment tools to measure the psychological impact of providing CPR to a relative. We set out to evaluate the Revised Impact of Event Scale (IES-R) and Texas Inventory of Grief (TIG) for comparing CPR providers and non-providers, and to establish whether research of this nature had a negative impact on the participants. We also collected narrative data from CPR providers.


METHODS
Prospective sampling of relatives of patients presenting to hospital who had witnessed their relative have a cardiac arrest and who had performed or witnessed CPR. Participants performed two interviews and completed the IES-R and the TIG.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine cardiac arrest victims presented, with ten relatives enrolled. The IES-R and TIG were feasible, and registered moderate responses from CPR providers and non-providers. There was no significant difference in the IES-R score between CPR providers and non-providers (1.96 vs. 1.04, p=0.3). There was no significant difference between scores obtained at two different time points (1.75 vs. 1.63, p=0.43). Participants demonstrated a moderate response on the TIG (mean TIG score 2.8, SD 1.7). Participants did not have a negative perception of study involvement, and actually perceived a benefit from discussion with a health professional.


CONCLUSIONS
It is acceptable and achievable to prospectively assess the response of a cardiac arrest victim's relatives to the provision of CPR. The test instruments used were appropriate and feasible. Results suggested a sample size of 48 to achieve a statistically significant result.
Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland Health, Queensland Australia. l.nunnink@uq.edu.au
Leo
L
Nunnink
Fran
F
Williamson
Annette
A
Broome
Iain
I
McNeill
D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires