Cardiorespiratory arrest diagnosis and treatment: theoretical knowledge evaluation in a general hospital's physicians.

BACKGROUND

The main causes of cardiopulmonary arrest are endemic, and require constant medical improvement on cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques. Training and continued education are essential to skilled management of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the physicians' theoretical knowledge on diagnosis and treatment of cardiopulmonary arrest.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional descriptive research conducted in a general hospital in Roraima, Brazil. The study population consisted of physicians who worked in the emergency department and intensive care units. The data were collected using a questionnaire addressing the subject.

RESULTS

Forty four physicians answered the questionnaire. The mean score was 50% right answers. Most (88.5%) respondents committed "fatal errors". Half of the sample was never trained in advanced life support skills. No correlation was found between the number of right answers and attendance to advanced life support training courses. An inverse correlation was found between performance and age, but no statistically significant correlation was seen regarding performance and time from medical graduation.

CONCLUSION

The physicians' theoretical knowledge on this field is worrisome. The results point to the importance of professional advanced life support training in order to assure quality standards for cardiac arrest management in this general hospital.