The developing effect of advanced cardiac life support skills in professional nurses of an emergency room at Wichainburi hospital

Abstract

The purpose of this action research was to develop advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) skills in professional nurses and to assess the effect of developing ACLS skills on knowledge levels, practical skills, and survival rates of cardiopulmonary resuscitation patients. The samples were divided into 2 groups: 1) 12 nurses working at the emergency room of Wichianburi hospital and 2) Cardiopulmonary resuscitation patients that were divided into 2 groups: the group before skill development and the group after skill development, each group of 50 subjects, totaling 100 subjects. The research tools consisted of data record form, ACLS practice knowledge quiz, ACLS skills assessment form, adult cardiac arrest algorithm -2015 update, ACLS record form (ACLS-01). The research was conducted and data were collected from June to December 2020. Data were analyzed by SPSS statistical program including
frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, chi-square test and Wilcoxon signed rank test.

The results showed that the development of ACLS skills in professional nurses in the emergency room was carried out in 2 cycles. The development of knowledge and ACLS skills consisted of 3 methods including 1) learning from training on the principles of resuscitation operations, 2) simulated practical skills training by emergency medicine and internal medicine physicians, and 3) peer mentoring, lectures, demonstrations, group meetings, and follow-up every time a patient undergoes a resuscitation operation. The outcome of developing ACLS skills in registered nurses in the emergency room, It was found that after the ACLS skills development, nurses had knowledge scores (29.8, 24.3, p=0.002) and ACLS skills (9.5, 8.1, p<0.001) statistically significantly higher than before the skills development. However, the survival rate of resuscitation patients was not statistically significant (38.0%, 30.0%, p=0.527). In conclusion, this study indicates that knowledge and ACLS skills should be performed for all levels of personnel at least 1-2 times a year continuously. It should be considered as hospital policy to increase the efficiency of resuscitation operations and increase the survival rate of resuscitation patients.