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Basic Cardiac Life Support Providers Checking the Carotid Pulse: Performance, Degree of Conviction, and Influencing Factors
Author(s) -
Lapostolle Frederic,
Le Toumelin Philippe,
Agostinucci Jean Marc,
Catineau Jean,
Adnet Frederic
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
academic emergency medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.221
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1553-2712
pISSN - 1069-6563
DOI - 10.1197/j.aem.2004.02.528
Subject(s) - pulse (music) , medicine , cardiopulmonary resuscitation , conviction , health care , medical emergency , resuscitation , emergency medicine , computer science , telecommunications , detector , political science , law , economics , economic growth
The American Heart Association recently abolished the carotid pulse check during cardiopulmonary resuscitation for lay rescuers, but not for health care providers. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate health care providers' performance, degree of conviction, and influencing factors in checking the carotid pulse. Methods: Sixty‐four health care providers were asked to check the carotid pulse for 10 or 30 seconds on a computerized mannequin simulating three levels of pulse strength (normal, weak, and absent). Health care providers were asked whether they felt a pulse and how certain were they that they felt a pulse. Performance was evaluated, as well as degree of conviction about the answer, using a visual analog scale. Data were compared by using a general linear model procedure. Results: In the pulseless situations, the answers were correct in 58% and 50% when checking the pulse for 10 and 30 seconds, respectively. In the situation with a weak pulse, the answer was correct in 83% when checking the pulse for 10 seconds. In situations with a normal pulse, the answers were correct in 92%, 84%, and 84%, respectively, when checking the pulse for 10 (twice) and 30 seconds. The exactitude of the answer was correlated with the pulse strength (p < 0.05). The degree of conviction about the answer was correlated with the exactitude of the answer (p < 0.01) and the pulse strength (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: These results question the routine use of the carotid pulse check during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, including for health care providers.