Cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for family members of patients on cardiac rehabilitation programmes in Scotland

Existing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training programmes have failed to reach those most likely to witness a cardiac arrest, such as families of cardiac patients. In 1993, the Scottish Health Service Advisory Committee suggested that CPR training could be offered as part of cardiac rehabilitation programmes. A survey was carried out to identify the current extent and nature of such training and factors influencing its provision. Questionnaires were mailed to all the 45 Scottish cardiac rehabilitation programmes on the British Heart Foundation's register. A 93% response rate was achieved. Only 37% of programmes provided information to families about attending a CPR course and 37% actually provided CPR training The numbers trained by these programmes were very small. Hospital programmes were significantly more likely than community programmes to provide CPR training (chi(2) = 6.65, P < 0.01) as were those which included an exercise component (chi(2) = 7.63, P < 0.01). Reasons for not providing training ranged from lack of resources and lack of staff training, to not having considered it. CPR training is provided as part of cardiac rehabilitation programmes to a limited extent. Ways of recruiting and increasing the number of family members of cardiac patients who are trained in CPR need to be found. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.