A Comparison of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Outcomes Between Traditional and Endomorphic Manikins With and Without Equipment

Abstract

Emergency responders are expected to perform high-quality CPR on an array of body physiques, regardless of the presence of protective equipment. The purpose of this study was to examine rescuers’ administration of CPR on traditional and endomorphic manikins with and without football shoulder pads (FBSP). Fifty emergency responders completed two compression-only scenarios following 2015 AHA CPR Guidelines: 1) removal of FBSP before initiating chest compressions, and 2) performing chest compressions over FBSP. There was a statistically significant effect with a decrease in compression rate and depth with the presence of FBSP. For chest recoil, there was a statistically significant effect due to manikin type and presence of FBSP. Based on these findings, emergency responders are not equipped to perform high-quality CPR in all scenarios. Additionally, utilization of a diverse range of manikin physiques should be a consideration in the advancement of CPR education for emergency responders.