Education for cardiac arrest--Treatment or prevention?
In-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCA) occur infrequently and individual staff members working on general wards may only rarely encounter one. Mortality following IHCA is high and the evidence for the benefits of many advanced life support (ALS) interventions is scarce. Nevertheless, regular, often frequent, ALS training is mandatory for many hospital medical staff and nurses. The incidence of pre-cardiac arrest deterioration is much higher than that of cardiac arrests, and there is evidence that intervention prior to cardiac arrest can reduce the incidence of IHCA. This article discusses a proposal to reduce the emphasis on widespread ALS training and to increase education in the recognition and response to pre-arrest clinical deterioration.
Centre of Postgraduate Medical Research & Education, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK. Electronic address: gbsresearch@virginmedia.com.
Gary B
GB
Smith
Critical Care & Critical Care Outreach, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London NW1 2BU, UK; University College London Partners, London, UK.
John
J
Welch
Critical Care, Harlem Hospital, New York, NY 10037, USA.
Michael A
MA
DeVita
University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
Ken M
KM
Hillman
University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Intensive Care Specialist, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3084, Australia.
Daryl
D
Jones
D022561:Advanced Cardiac Life Support / Q000193:education*; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000193:education*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education*
Advanced life support; Cardiac arrest; Deterioration; Education; Prevention