Effectiveness of a training program on improving the knowledge, attitude and skill in providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)―An interventional study

Background and Aim: The key factor in any cardiac arrest situation is the amount of time lost before a patient is shifted to the hospital. This study aimed to develop awareness among the study participants in cardiac emergencies and to enhance their knowledge, attitude and skill in performing hands-on Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), to bring down the rate of deaths due to sudden cardiac arrest outside hospitals. Subjects and Method: The study was conducted using pre-experimental research design and convenient sampling technique was used to select 80 employees working in a selected institute as study participants. Data was collected over a period of six weeks using three different tools viz. structured knowledge questionnaire, attitude scale and skill checklist on CPR. Results: In the pre-test 26.2% of the participants had average level of knowledge and 73% had poor knowledge on CPR, whereas in the post-test 42.5% had good knowledge and 55% had average knowledge on CPR. Only 20% of the participants had favorable attitude towards CPR in the pretest, which did not have a significant change during the post-test as 82.5% of the participants still maintained unfavourable attitude. However the skill of the participants increased from 100% of the participants being unskillful in the pre-test to 76.2% gaining the basic skills on CPR and the rest of the participants were given remediation until they became skillful. Conclusion: The training program was effective in increasing the knowledge, and teaching the participants with skills of providing CPR.