Appointment of a Resuscitation Training Officer is associated with improved survival from in-hospital ventricular fibrillation/ventricular tachycardia cardiac arrest.

Abstract

To determine if the appointment of a Resuscitation Training Officer improves survival to discharge from in-hospital ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia cardiac arrest. A 22-month prospective study. A 1100-bed teaching hospital. All inpatients suffering ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia cardiorespiratory arrests. Appointment of a Resuscitation Training Officer at start of study, who introduced coordinated resuscitation training for all staff. Survival to discharge. Improvement in survival to discharge of 20-75% (P<0.03, Spearman Rank Correlation test). Appointment of a Resuscitation Training Officer is associated with improved survival to discharge in ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in-hospital cardiac arrest.