Efficacy of a five-minute compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation class compared to thirty-minute instruction among college students

OBJECTIVE: To determine if 5-minute compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CCO-CPR) instruction is as effective as 30-minute instruction in improving participant knowledge and comfort with performing CCO-CPR as well as teaching CPR quality and responsiveness to an Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA). METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial of university undergraduates was performed. Participants were randomized to either a 5-minute (experimental) or 30-minute (control) CCO-CPR instruction class. Pre- and post-testing was performed with a written and simulation test. Measurements collected assessed rate and depth of compressions, time to call 911, and time to start chest compressions. Prior to instruction, subjects’ baseline measurements of CPR performance were evaluated during a standardized sudden death scenario using a Laerdal Skillreporter(TM) mannequin. The written test and scenario were repeated after either the five or 30 ​minute CCO-CPR instruction using the same outcome measures. Statistical tests of association for categorical variables were assessed using the chi-square test and the independent samples t-test was utilized for continuous variables. All tests were two-sided and the level of significance was set at α ​= ​0.05. RESULTS: Among the 59 participants, 28 received 5 ​minutes of instruction and 31 received 30 ​minutes. Fifteen (25.4%) individuals reported prior CPR training. Post intervention, all measurements reached statistically significant improvements in each group but there was no difference between the two groups improvement in depth of compressions (experimental group: 41.8 ​mm, 95% CI 36.6–43.4 vs control group: 46.5 ​mm, 95% CI 40.9–48.3, p ​= ​0.06), compressions per minute (114.3 cpm, 95% CI 105.5–122.0 vs 121.1 cpm, 95% CI 115.1–131.4, p ​= ​0.10), time to starting chest compressions (13.5 vs 12.4 ​sec, p ​= ​0.45), or time to calling 911 (8.34 vs 7.65 ​sec, p ​= ​0.58). Further, there was a statistically significant improvement in participants that said they would probably or definitely perform CCO-CPR in real life after both interventions but no difference between the groups (100% of the experimental group and 93.5% of the control group p ​< ​0.49). CONCLUSION: Five-minute instruction is not inferior to 30-minute instruction at teaching undergraduate students how to perform quality bystander CCO-CPR.