An observational study in Resuscitation, sponsored by Northumbria University. Completed at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2022-10-14.
Sponsored by Northumbria University · Observational
Should a person have a cardiac arrest (where their heart stops beating) they require treatment of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This includes providing chest compressions. Traditionally these compressions are provided by hand but mechanical chest compression devices (MCCD) have been investigated for use in out of hospital resuscitation attempts.
Research trials recruiting human participants have concluded recently. They all found no difference in survival outcomes when MCCD and manual compressions were compared.
Despite this, the latest expert review on MCCD suggests that MCCD can be a reasonable alternative to high quality manual compressions when these cannot be provided. MCCD continue to be used by Specialists in the local ambulance service and historically by those recruiting patients to a national multi centre trial of MCCD. There is another, as yet under-investigated element, and that is of ambulance crews' experiences of using such devices. Therefore it is a reasonable topic to investigate.
This study will invite local United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service (NHS) operational ambulance crews to participate in a 1-2 hour online focus group discussion (a collective group discussion) about their experiences of using MCCD. The participants will be any operational ambulance crew member, employed by the local ambulance Trust and who had experience of using any type of MCCD. The focus groups will be audio recorded; participants will be aware of this when they choose to participate.
The aim of this research is to collect and report ambulance crews' experiences of using mechanical chest compression devices for out of hospital resuscitation attempts.
Ultimately there may of course be benefits for patients by exploring whether MCCD play a part in out of hospital resuscitations. Funding has been offered by a manufacturer one of the types of MCCD; they have had no involvement in the design or analysis of the study.
Once transcribed, the data will be analysed manually. The content of each focus group will be coded and then each participants' individual responses will be coded, first using open coding, then focused coding to identify emergent themes, before concluding with the categories that have been identified. The constant comparison method of data analysis will be used.
Northumbria University is the lead sponsor of 156 studies on the registry; 22 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Operational ambulance crew employees of the local ambulance service
Exclusion Criteria:
An anticipated 3-8 participants who meet the inclusion criteria of being aged 18 or over, a employee of the local ambulance service, are employed as an operational ambulance crew member, irrespective of title and to have had experienced an out of hospital resuscitation where MCCD was used, irrespective of the type of device or their level of involvement, and who also volunteer and agree to take part in the online focus group.
Other: Focus group discussion
There is no intervention. This is a qualitative piece of work only.
Collect and report ambulance crews' experiences of using MCCDs for out-of-hospital resuscitation attempts.
The transcribed discussions will be coded and then themes emerging from the data identified and developed. To do this I will use a constant comparison method of analysis. The presence or lack of consensus and reinforcement on certain topics will also be observed for.
Time frame: 2 hours
Does the use of MCCDs have any effect on, or facilitate, the team leader role at an out-of-hospital resuscitation attempt
The transcribed discussions will be coded and then themes emerging from the data identified and developed. To do this I will use a constant comparison method of analysis. The presence or lack of consensus and reinforcement on certain topics will also be observed for.
Time frame: 2 hours
Does providing mechanical versus manual chest compressions have an effect on how ambulance crews feel physically and emotionally after an out-of-hospital resuscitation attempt.
The transcribed discussions will be coded and then themes emerging from the data identified and developed. To do this I will use a constant comparison method of analysis. The presence or lack of consensus and reinforcement on certain topics will also be observed for.
Time frame: 2 hours
Plan to share: No
This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Northumbria University