Summary
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation program for secondary schools (PROCES): conclusions after 5 years
Affiliation of the authors
DOI
Quote
Miró O, Escalada X, Jiménez-Fábrega X, Díaz N, Sanclemente G, Gómez-Batiste X, et al. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation program for secondary schools (PROCES): conclusions after 5 years. Emergencias. 2008;20:229-36
Summary
Objective: To describe 5 years of experience providing training in basic cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) for students in Spanish obligatory secondary school education,
including the percentage of satisfactory learning immediately after training and 1
year later; and to analyze factors associated with satisfactory learning.
Methods: The trainers applied the CPR program developed for secondary schools
(PROCES). All students who took the course from 2002 through 2007 were included.
Learning was assessed with a test containing 10 items on theory and 10 on practice;
the test was administered immediately before and after the course and again a year later.
We also studied the influence of independent variables related to school (public vs
private, neighborhood per capita income), course (the grade when the CPR course was
taken by a student, instructors giving the practical classes), and student (age, gender,
intention to study a health science, courses failed in previous years, and whether a lifesaving
course had ever been taken).
Results: A total of 1501 students took the PROCES course over 5 academic years. The
test was taken immediately before and after the course by 1128 students; it was taken
again a year later by 428 students. Fifty-eight percent had satisfactory test scores
immediately after the course; 42% had satisfactory scores a year later. Multivariate
analysis showed that private schools, those in neighborhoods with a low per capita
income, those in which the PROCES course was given entirely by instructors belonging
to the school, and not carrying failed subjects from previous years were the independent
variables associated with better performance just after the course. However, only the last
2 factors were significantly related to maintenance of learning.
Conclusion: The PROCES course in the hands of specialists in urgency and emergency
medicine is an excellent tool for creating a broader base of CPR knowledge among
secondary school students. Maintaining and extending the program over the coming
years, as well as integrating it into the school curriculum, are matters that require clear
commitment from the relevant public administrations.
