Empowering Families: Pediatric Basic Life-Support Training for Families of Children with Heart Disease and Increased Risk of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Short description
Children with severe heart diseases are considered as one of the risk groups for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Immediate Pediatric Basic Life Support (PBLS) is crucial for the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest. Therefore, it is of outmost importance that families to a child with heart disease and increased risk of cardiac arrest have the confidence and competence in performing PBLS. In Sweden, there is a lack of national guidelines concerning which of these families should be offered PBLS training before discharge or in close connection to diagnose. It is reasonable to believe, that this leads to unequal care for this group of seriously ill children and their already vulnerable families
Purpose
The overall aim of this PhD-project is to optimize Pediatric Basic Life support (PBLS) practices and enhance outcomes for families with children at an increased risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
This overarching objective encompasses the specific objectives mentioned:
- Identify and describe PBLS training practices for families in pediatric cardiology clinics across Sweden and to explore perspectives of nurses and physicians towards PBLS training for afflicted families.
- Determine which families should be prioritized and offered PBLS training, considering the needs and risks associated with special risk groups, by establishing consensus among experts.
- To assess the short- and long-term retention of PBLS skills before and after PBLS training.
- To explore the experience and what impact PBLS training has on confidence in performing PBLS and level of empowerment among parents and significant others.
By addressing these specific objectives, this PhD-project aim to provide insights into the optimal utilization of PBLS training resources, enhance the quality of care for children with heart diseases, and improve overall preparedness situations.
Significance
The findings from this project will aid in enhancing the design and delivery of PBLS-training programs for families with a child with heart disease and increased risk of cardiac arrest, ensuring participants retain essential skills over time and are equipped to respond effectively in critical situations This will contribute to develop strategies that improve parental preparedness and ensure better outcomes for children with heart disease in the event of a pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Participants
PhD-student: Helena Roos
Main supervisor: Ewa-Lena Bratt
Co-supervisors: Sepideh Olausson, Anders Nygren
