Liječnički vjesnik, Vol. 146 No. 7-8, 2024.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.26800/LV-146-7-8-8
The importance of continuing medical education on cardiopulmonary resuscitation of health care professionals at the level of primary health care – experience of the Health Center of Osijek-Baranja County
Marina Vidosavljević
Mateja Ćosić
Nikolina Milanović
Tihomir Sušić
Kristina Kralik
Justinija Steiner
Lana Maričić
Damir Mihić
Domagoj Loinjak
Abstract
Background: Regular organization and mandatory attendance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR) courses for healthcare professionals (HCP) at all levels of the healthcare system should be a common practice. In the Republic of Croatia, the regularity of course attendance is arbitrary, and only a small number of health institutions organize courses for their employees regularly. Since 2015, the cardiology team of the former Health Center Osijek, currently the Health Center of Osijek-Baranja County, has organized CPR and emergency courses for HCP of the institution every two years. Since 2019, an integral part of the course has been a written exam. Aims: Primary aims were to assess the knowledge of primary HCP about the correct CPR procedure and to compare the accuracy of answers before, immediately and three years after the course. Secondary aims were to determine the percentage of HCP responding to the courses and to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants and methods: In 2019, 87 out of 258 (34%) HCP of the former Osijek Health Center responded. For the new course organized in 2022, 133 out of 572 (23%) HCP of the Health Center of Osijek-Baranja County applied, among whom were 26 (19%) repeaters. We compared the answers to the questions before both courses and immediately after the course organized in 2019. Results: In the 2019 preliminary exam the average percentage of correct answers was 58%, while in the final exam it was 83%. The average percentage of correct answers in the 2022 preliminary exam was 66%, while repeaters achieved an average of 75% correct answers. In 2022, 7% of HCP were uncertain about the timely initiation of CPR due to the fear of infection with the SARS-CoV 2 virus. Conclusion: The knowledge of the correct CPR procedure among HCP weakens over time, and regular re-education reduces the fluctuation of knowledge. Three years after the course repeaters achieve a better average of correct answers on the initial test. Only 25–30% of HCP attend the courses, and a smaller percentage of them repeat it regularly. COVID-19 has had a negative impact on the determination to access CPR in a timely manner.
Keywords
CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION – education; HEALTH PERSONNEL – education, statistics and numerical data; EDUCATION MEDICAL, CONTINUING – methods, statistics and numerical data; EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT – statistics and numerical data; OUT-OF-HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST – therapy; COVID -19; PRIMARY HEALTH CARE; CROATIA
Hrčak ID:
320259
URI
Publication date:
30.8.2024.
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