Arizona Prehospital CPR Quality Improvement Project

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) provided to patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is often suboptimal. There now exist monitors/defibrillators that allow for the measurement and real time feedback of the quality of chest compressions and ventilations. In addition to giving the prehospital provider the benefit of real time CPR quality feedback via voice and visual cues, the CPR quality data acquired using these devices can be utilized as part of an on-going quality assurance/quality improvement program. The first objective of the proposed project is to quantify the quality of chest compressions and ventilations provided in the state of Arizona to patients with OHCA and to determine whether the quality of CPR is related to patient outcome from OHCA. A second objective of this project is to determine whether use of audiovisual feedback improves both CPR quality and patient outcome in the pre-hospital setting.

Detailed Description
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Phase I: In the first phase of the project, the EMS systems will utilize the E-series units to treat all patients with OHCA. The audiovisual feedback prompts will be inactivated during this phase. The EMS providers will be instructed to follow the standard CCR protocol, as is currently the practice. Aside from the change in monitor/defibrillator equipment, the treatment of OHCA patients during this phase will be identical to the treatment that is currently performed. The quality of CPR will be measured using the accelerometer-based system. The data will be stored in the defibrillator and will be downloaded upon completion of the call. The first phase will be conducted for approximately 6 months from the time each site initiates the use of the E-series monitor/defibrillators. Phase 2:In the second phase of the project, the EMS providers will undergo training on how to use the audiovisual feedback prompts. The providers will continue to treat patients according to the CCR protocol but will now receive audio and/or visual feedback on the quality of CPR that they are performing. The providers will select the preferred feedback method(s) - audio, visual or both. As in phase I, the CPR data will be stored in the defibrillator and will be downloaded upon completion of the call. The total number of EMS personnel who will be trained is approximately 450. In Phase I, there were 219 OHCAs (80% from Mesa Fire Dept, and 20% from Guardian Medical Transport). So far in Phase II, there have been about 100 OHCAs.

Official Title
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Arizona Prehospital CPR Quality Improvement Project

Conditions
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Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Audiovisual Feedback


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Emergency Medical Services personnel at 8 fire departments in AZ who treat patients with out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) Exclusion Criteria: -

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 24 Years
Maximum Age: 55 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Audiovisual feedback on CPR<br>EMS technicians will receive audiovisual feedback from the ZOLL device on depth, frequency, and interruptions to cardiac compressions | Other: Audiovisual Feedback<br>* EMTs will get audiovisual feedback on CPR technique during CPR<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quality of chest compressions | Depth of chest compressions, rate of chest compressions, and interruptions in chest compressions | Phase I - 6 months; Phase II - 20 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Survival to hospital discharge | Did the patient survive to hospital discharge? (Yes or no--dichotomous measure) | Phase I - 6 months; Phase II - 20 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, OHCA