Bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation out-of-hospital. A first description of the bystanders and their experiences.

• At present there are about 1 million trained cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rescuers in Sweden. CPR out-of-hospital is initiated about 2000 times a year in Sweden. However, very little is known about the bystanders' experiences and reactions. The aim of this study was to describe bystander-initiated CPR, the circumstances, the bystander and his experiences. All CPR bystanders in Sweden who reported their resuscitation attempts between 1990 and 1994 were approached with a phone interview and a postal questionnaire, resulting in 742 questionnaires. Bystander-initiated CPR most frequently took place in public places such as the street. The rescuer most frequently had problems with mouth-to-mouth ventilation (20%) and vomiting (18%). More than half (53%) of the rescuers experienced CPR without problems. Ninety-two percent of the bystanders had no hesitation because of fear of contracting the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) virus. Ninety-three percent of the rescuers regarded their intervention as a mainly positive experience. Of 425 interviewed rescuers, 99.5% were prepared to start CPR again.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kardiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Adolescent

Adult

Aged

Attitude

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

psychology

Female

First Aid

psychology

Heart Arrest

epidemiology

therapy

Humans

Interviews as Topic

Male

Middle Aged

Questionnaires

Sweden

epidemiology

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)