Bn. Camp et al., EFFECT OR ADVANCED CARDIAC LIFE-SUPPORT TRAINING ON RESUSCITATION EFFORTS AND SURVIVAL IN A RURAL HOSPITAL, Annals of emergency medicine, 29(4), 1997, pp. 529-533
Study objective: To determine the impact of an Advanced Cardiac life S
upport (ACLS) training program on resuscitation and survival in a rura
l hospital. Methods: Retrospective review of arrests in a 119-bed rura
l community hospital before, during, and after organization of an ACLS
teaching program. ICU logs, death logs, and code review sheets were u
sed to determine resuscitation efforts and outcomes; these were cross-
checked with medical and administrative records. From 1980 through 198
4, resuscitation attempts were conducted only in the ICU. By 1985, aft
er the training program was instituted, resuscitation efforts were con
ducted throughout the hospital. Data are presented on resuscitations i
n the ICU only and on total hospital resuscitations. To assess effort,
resuscitation attempts and successes were compared with total death e
vents tie, total number of hospital deaths plus total number surviving
a resuscitation effort). Results: From 1980 through 1984, before ACLS
training was instituted, 42 patients were resuscitated and 15 (36%) s
urvived to discharge. From 1985 through 1987, 113 ICU patients were re
suscitated and 29 (26%) survived. From 1988 through 1990, after ACLS p
rotocol and code review procedures were established, 81 ICU patients w
ere resuscitated and 23 (28%) survived. The number of attempted resusc
itations throughout the hospital increased from 42 in the early period
to 179 in the final period, with 15(36%)and 52 (29%) survivors, respe
ctively. Rates of ICU or hospitalwide resuscitation success were not s
ignificantly different over time (P>.3). There were 893 total death ev
ents in the early period and 485 in the final period. The percentage o
f death events with an intervention rose from 5% to 37% (P<.001), and
the percentage reversed by intervention increased from 2% to 11% (P<.0
01). Conclusion: After widespread ACLS training and code team organiza
tion, there was a significant increase in resuscitation efforts and re
versal of death events despite a slight decline in the percentage of p
atients surviving resuscitation attempts. An ACLS training program in
a rural hospital can contribute to increased overall survival.