title: Debriefing bystanders of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is valuable.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the concept of debriefing bystanders after participating in an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation attempt including (1) bystanders' most commonly addressed reactions after participating in a resuscitation attempt when receiving debriefing from medical dispatchers; (2) their perception of effects of receiving debriefing and (3) bystanders' recommendations for a systematic debriefing concept.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative study based on telephone debriefing to bystanders and interviews with bystanders who received debriefing. Data was analyzed using the phenomenological approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six themes emerged from analysis of debriefing audio files: (1) identification of OHCA; (2) emotional and perceptual experience with OHCA; (3) collaboration with healthcare professionals; (4) patients outcome; (5) coping with the experience and (6) general reflections. When evaluating the concept, bystanders expressed positive short term effect of receiving debriefing and a retention of this effect after two months. Recommendations for a future debriefing concept were given.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Debriefing by emergency medical dispatchers to OHCA bystanders stimulates reflection, positively influencing the ability to cope with the emotional reactions and the cognitive perception of own performance and motivates improvement of CPR skills. Importantly, it increases confidence to provide CPR in the future. Implementation of telephone debriefing to bystanders at Emergency Medical Dispatch Centres is a low complexity and a low cost intervention though the logistic challenges have to be considered.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medical Services Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Telegrafvej 5, opgang 2,3, DK-2750 Ballerup, Denmark; Danish Institute for Medical Simulation, University of Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark Herlev Ringvej 75,25, DK-2730 Herlev, Denmark. Electronic address: thea.palsgaard.moeller@regionh.dk.
authors.forename: Thea Palsgaard
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Møller
authors.affiliation: Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, Department of Cardiology, Niels Andersens vej 65, DK-2900 Hellerup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Carolina Malta
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medical Services Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Telegrafvej 5, opgang 2,3, DK-2750 Ballerup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fjordholt
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Education, University of Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 København, Denmark.
authors.forename: Birgitte Dahl
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.affiliation: Danish Institute for Medical Simulation, University of Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark Herlev Ringvej 75,25, DK-2730 Herlev, Denmark.
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Østergaard
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medical Services Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Telegrafvej 5, opgang 2,3, DK-2750 Ballerup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Freddy K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Lippert
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods*; D003718:Denmark; D004631:Emergency Medical Service Communication Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004644:Emotions; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013689:Telephone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Basic life support courses; Bystanders; Cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Debriefing; Emergency medical dispatch; Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest