The American Heart Association issued a 2013 consensus statement revealing that most people, including healthcare professionals, don’t perform CPR well. The AHA data also confirm what every healthcare professional knows: Higher-quality CPR results in better patient outcomes. In this feature, nursing leaders discuss what they’re doing to help nurses and other professionals improve their CPR techniques. It’s a matter of real-time audio and visual feedback, direct supervision as well as student education and regular practice sessions. Although it takes creativity to find practice time for staff, nursing leaders suggest mock codes, “in situ” simulations and short, regular reviews. Practice DOES make perfect, they say, and it’s a professional responsibility for nurses to not only provide quality CPR to patients but to champion coordinated education efforts. It’s a life-saving skill, and one, when performed properly, can and will save lives. Also included in the longer, online feature are the 2010 AHA recommendations for CPR and emergency cardiovascular care.
