title: Comparison of two training programmes on paramedic-delivered CPR performance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare CPR performance in two groups of paramedics who received CPR training from two different CPR training programmes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Conducted in June 2014 at the Hamad Medical Corporation Ambulance Service, the national ambulance service of the State of Qatar, the CPR performances of 149 new paramedic recruits were evaluated after they had received training from either a traditional CPR programme or a tailored CPR programme. Both programmes taught the same content but differed in the way in which this content was delivered to learners. Exclusive to the tailored programme was mandatory precourse work, continuous assessments, a locally developed CPR instructional video and pedagogical activities tailored to the background education and learner style preferences of paramedics. At the end of each respective training programme, a single examiner who was blinded to the type of training paramedics had received, rated them as competent or non-competent on basic life support skills, condition specific skills, specific overall skills and non-technical skills during a simulated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Paramedics who received CPR training with the tailored programme were rated competent 70.9% of the time, compared with paramedics who attended the traditional programme and who achieved this rating 7.9% of the time (p<0.001). Specific improvements were seen in the time required to detect cardiac arrest, chest compression quality, and time to first monitored rhythm and delivered shock.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In an OHCA scenario, CPR performance rated as competent was significantly higher when training was received using a tailored CPR programme.
authors.affiliation: University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa Hamad Medical Corporation Ambulance Service, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Govender
authors.affiliation: Hatter Institute of Cardiovascular Research in Africa, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sliwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wallis
authors.affiliation: Hamad Medical Corporation Ambulance Service, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Yugan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pillay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000193:education*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D013663:Teaching / Q000592:standards; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cardiac arrest; emergency ambulance systems, education; paramedics, education; resuscitation; resuscitation, training