Knowledge of and compliance to cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines by healthcare practitioners’ at the accident & emergency unit, Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

Background: Cardiac arrests occur in different conditions and could result in permanent neurological damage and death. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation by trained, competent Health Care Practitioners, is required. Health Care Practitioners employ recognized CPR guidelines during such events and their compliance at A&E, KNH is the focus of this study. Objective: Assessment of knowledge of and compliance to CPR guidelines among healthcare practitioner‘s during cardiac arrest at A&E, KNH. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used. Observation of 119 HCP performing CPR was done by the researcher for a period of two weeks. The researcher administered questionnaires, on HCP demography and knowledge of CPR guidelines and, compliance was evaluated. The HCPs who had given voluntary consent were recruited, through random sampling. Ethical clearance was sought from the KNH-UON ERC. The data collected was categorized, entered in a database and, analyzed using SPSS computer package, version 25.0. For inferential statistics, logistical regression models were used to assess whether knowledge of resuscitation guidelines influenced compliance. A P value of < or equal to 0.05 was used to indicate statistical significance. Findings: Through a logistic regression model determination of the predictors of knowledge and compliance to CPR guidelines was done. Knowledge of basic life support and Knowledge of Advanced cardiac life support were used as the independent variables. There is a strong relationship between knowledge of the healthcare practitioners performing CPR during cardiac arrest and their compliance to guidelines which direct the practice of resuscitation in the A&E, KNH. There exists a strong positive relationship by 0.812. R squares, 0.66 which implies that 66% of the determinants of compliance can be accounted for in the model while 34% is other determinants in the model. Conclusion: There is need for enhancing the knowledge of the healthcare practitioners performing CPR on patients who suffer cardiac arrest in the department. Through recertification, availing of current CPR guidelines and deployment of HCPs with the requisite knowledge of resuscitation practice within the department better clinical outcomes will be achieved for patients who unfortunately experience sudden cardiac arrest.