Paediatric Resuscitation Training: is E-learning the Answer? A Before and After Pilot Study

Aim: To determine whether an e-learning resuscitation programme was able to improve the knowledge and competence of doctors and nurses in providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation to children in a simulated cardiac arrest.

Method: A prospective before and after pilot study comprising of a simulated paediatric resuscitation before and after participants undertook an e-learning programme. Participants were emergency department doctors and new graduate nurses from The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Australia. Primary outcome measures were the ability to perform successful basic life support (BLS) and advanced life support (ALS) according to published guidelines. Secondary outcome measures were the individual steps in performing the overall resuscitation and subjective feedback from participants.

Results: Fifty-six clinicians were enrolled in the study (29 doctors and 27 nurses). Thirty-seven were re-tested (25 doctors and 12 nurses). The mean time between tests was 49 days (17 standard deviation). The e-learning module led to an improvement in participants' ability to perform BLS by 51% (P < 0.001) and ALS by 57% (P= 0.001) overall resulting in an overall competence of 89% (BLS) and 65% (ALS). There were also significant improvements in time to rhythm recognition (P= 0.006), time to first defibrillation (P= 0.009) and participants' self-reported knowledge and confidence in BLS and ALS (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: E-learning does improve both the knowledge and competence of doctors and nurses in providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation to children in the simulation environment.