Impact of basic life-support training on the attitudes of health-care workers toward cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) increases the probability of survival of a person with cardiac arrest. Repeating training helps staff retain knowledge in CPR and in use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Retention of knowledge and skills during and after training in CPR is difficult and requires systematic training with appropriate methodology. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of basic life-support (BLS) training on the attitudes of health-care providers toward initiating CPR and on use of AEDs, and to investigate the factors that influence these attitudes. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in two groups: health-care providers who had just attended a BLS-AED course (post-BLS group, n = 321), and those who had not (pre-BLS group, n = 421). All participants had previously received BLS training. Both groups were given a validated questionnaire to evaluate the status of life-support education and certification, attitudes toward use of CPR and AED and concerns regarding use of CPR and AED. Multiple linear regression analyses were applied to identify significant predictors of the attitude and concern scores. RESULTS: Overall positive attitudes were seen in 53.4% of pre-BLS respondents and 64.8% of post-BLS respondents (χ2 = 9.66, p = 0.002). Positive attitude was significantly predicted by the recent completion of BLS training (ß = 5.15, p < 0.001), the number of previous BLS training courses (ß = 2.10, p = 0.008) and previous exposure to cardiac-arrest cases (ß = 3.44, p = 0.018), as well as by low concern scores, (ß = -0.09, p < 0.001). Physicians had significantly lower concern scores than nurses (ß = -10.45, p = 0.001). Concern scores decreased as the duration of work experience increased (t = 2.19, p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: Repeated educational programs can improve attitudes toward CPR performance and the use of AEDs. Training that addressed the concerns of health-care workers could further improve these attitudes.

A profile of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Northern Emirates, United Arab Emirates.

[No Abstract Available].

Non-therapeutic infant male circumcision. evidence, ethics and international law perspective.

[No Avaliable Abstract].

Epidemiology of non-transported emergency medical services calls in Saudi Arabia.

[No Abstract Available].

Allergic dermatitis - Black henna (para-phenylenediamine) use among the East African patient population in a general practice setting.

The use of henna has become a global phenomenon for skin adornment in arms and legs. The practice is old and common among communities of East African origin. Traditionally, natural henna is used during Eid celebrations, marriage ceremonies and other social occasions. However, black henna type with para-phenylenediamine (PPD) additive is gaining favour over the natural one due to its effect and ease in achieving the desired intensity, longevity and ease of drying. The natural henna stains the skin orange to brown and takes an hour to dry while black henna is intensely black and dries in minutes. This article describes a case of allergic dermatitis due to a black henna use seen in a general practice clinic setting and highlights the role of education and counselling of a particular community.

Automated external defibrillator. Trends of automated external defibrillator training in Saudi Arabia, and global perspectives on use and deployment.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillator (AED) training have become widespread in Saudi Arabia and the need permeated in all sectors of healthcare profession. Healthcare providers are required to renew their certification every 2 years for an optimal practice, and it has become a requisite for healthcare providers in Saudi Commission for Health Specialties and medical and nursing students prior to internship. The disparity between the goal of AED training and the use is no more overstatement. We attempt to collate, review and appraise articles related to training, cost-effectiveness, innovation, and policy, and to extrapolate a meaningful agenda of the current training provision in the region, and to possibly attract policy makers to reflect on a strategy on AED use and implementation for Saudi Arabia bringing it closer to a healthcare practitioner and a layperson to achieve the goal of decreasing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.