The effect of seeing the rhythm display on performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Abstract

Semiautomated external defibrillators are widely used by prehospital emergency personnel. Some of the devices have a rhythm display and some show only text commands on the screen. To evaluate the effects on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performance of seeing the rhythm during resuscitation, 60 fire-fighter students were randomly divided in two groups and trained to use either a defibrillator with a rhythm display or one without a display. The students in both groups formed teams of two rescuers, and their performance of CPR on a manikin was tested using a predefined rhythm sequence in a simulated cardiac arrest situation. The teams using a defibrillator with a rhythm display more often interrupted CPR for pulse checks than those who did not see the rhythm (P=0.003). The duration of CPR between rhythm analyses was shorter in the group who saw the rhythm on the screen (P=0.002). Our data suggest that seeing an organised rhythm on a monitor during CPR interferes with adherence to CPR algorithms which may have a negative influence on the performance of CPR.