Challenges for Optimum Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in the Emergency Departments of Limpopo Province: A Qualitative Study

Aim: To describe the challenges for optimum resuscitation processes in Emergency Departments in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Design: A qualitative explorative research approach was adopted to explore the resuscitation team’s experiences in Emergency Departments. Method: Five medical doctors and twelve professional nurses were purposively sampled to participate in the study. The depth of the information obtained from the participants determined the sample size. Data collected from semi-structured individual interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Data quality was ensured by applying four elements: credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Results: The study findings indicated diverse challenges for optimum resuscitation processes that include: A general shortage of emergency personnel, the lack of material resources and the unavailability of funds for payment of national and international trauma symposiums, the poor maintenance of emergency equipment, the lack of a continuous training program and the resuscitation team receiving different instructions from various team leaders about the standardized procedures and policies of the resuscitation process. The team leaders and managers often blamed, depreciated and disregarded the resuscitation team for failed resuscitation efforts. Public contribution: The study findings are a point of reference for the emergency resuscitation team and the department of health policymakers. Trained and well-equipped emergency resuscitation teams can improve the quality of life for patients with cardiac arrest.