We developed a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) message that can be given via telephone by emergency dispatchers directly to an individual reporting a cardiac arrest. The message was developed and evaluated on the basis of empirical observation of CPR performance of 203 community volunteers during simulated cardiac arrest events. The majority of volunteers were women aged 30-80 years, who had not had previous CPR training. An average of five ventilation and compression cycles were given within five minutes using telephone instruction. We judged the quality of CPR to be comparable to the performance of individuals who have received formal training. The specific words used in the message directly determined adequacy of performance, and resulted in significantly better CPR performance than did impromptu instruction offered by professional dispatchers (P<.02).

References:

Carter WB, Eisenberg MS, Hallstrom AP, Schaeffer S: Development and implementation of emergency CPR instruction via telephone. Ann Emerg Med September 1984 (Part 1); 13:695-700.

Title: Emergency CPR Instruction via Telephone

We initiated a program of telephone CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction provided by emergency dispatchers to increase the percentage of bystander-initiated CPR for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrests in King County, Washington were studied for 20 months before and after the telephone CPR program began. Bystander-initiated from 86 to 191 (45%) cardiac arrests before the program to 143 of 255 (56%) cardiac arrests after the program. During the after period, 58 patients received CPR as a result of telephone instruction, 12 of whom were discharged. We estimate that four lives may have been saved by the program. A review of hospital records revealed no excess morbidity in the group of patients receiving dispatcher-assisted CPR.

References:

Eisenberg MS, Hallstrom AP, Carter WB, Cummins RO, Bergner L, Pierce J: Emergency CPR Instruction via Telephone; Am J Public Health, 1985; 75:47-50.