Effectiveness of simplified 15-min refresher BLS training program: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of 15-min refresher basic life support (BLS) training following 45-min chest compression-only BLS training.


METHODS
After the 45-min chest compression-only BLS training, the participants were randomly assigned to either the refresher BLS training group, which received a 15-min refresher training 6 months after the initial training (refresher training group), or to the control group, which did not receive refresher training. Participants' resuscitation skills were evaluated by a 2-min case-based scenario test 1 year after the initial training. The primary outcome measure was the number of appropriate chest compressions during a 2-min test period.


RESULTS
140 participants were enrolled and 112 of them completed this study. The number of appropriate chest compressions performed during the 2-min test period was significantly greater in the refresher training group (68.9±72.3) than in the control group (36.3±50.8, p=0.009). Time without chest compressions was significantly shorter in the refresher training group (16.1±2.1 s versus 26.9±3.7 s, p<0.001). There were no significant differences in time to chest compression (29.6±16.7 s versus 34.4±17.8 s, p=0.172) and AED use between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
A short-time refresher BLS training program 6 months after the initial training can help trainees retain chest compression skills for up to 1 year. Repeated BLS training, even if very short, would be adopted to keep acquired CPR quality optimal (UMIN-CTR UMIN 000004101).
Department of Critical Care Nursing, Kyoto University Graduate School of Human Health Science, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
Chika
C
Nishiyama
Kyoto University Health Service, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. Electronic address: iwamit@e-mail.jp.
Taku
T
Iwami
Kyoto University Health Service, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
Yukiko
Y
Murakami
Division of Environmental Medicine and Population Sciences, Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-5 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Tetsuhisa
T
Kitamura
Kagawa Prefectural Central Hospital, 1-2-1 Asahimachi, Takamatsu City, Kagawa 760-8557, Japan.
Yoshio
Y
Okamoto
Iseikai Hospital, 6-2-25 Sugawara, Higashi Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 533-0022, Japan.
Seishiro
S
Marukawa
Department of Emergency Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
Tetsuya
T
Sakamoto
Kyoto University Health Service, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
Takashi
T
Kawamura
D000328:Adult; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000193:education*; D004518:Education, Professional, Retraining; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008348:Manikins; D012153:Retention, Psychology
Basic life support (BLS); Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); Chest compression; Education; Randomized controlled trial; Retraining