Effect of bed width on the quality of compressions in simulated resuscitation: a randomized crossover manikin study

ObjectivesTo investigate the effects of bed width on the quality of chest compressions during simulated in-hospital resuscitation.MethodsEach candidate performed two 2-minute cycles of compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation on an adult manikin placed on either an emergency stretcher (narrow bed) or a standard hospital bed (wide bed) in random order at 1 day intervals. We conducted subjective assessments of cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality and rescuer fatigue at the end of each session, using surveys.ResultsThere were no significant differences between narrow and wide bed sessions in either mean depth or the percentage of compressions with adequate depth (P = .56 and .58, respectively). The mean rate of compressions and the percentage of compressions with adequate rate were also similar between sessions (P = .24 and .27, respectively). However, the percentage of correct hand position and complete chest recoil was significantly higher in the narrow bed session than in the wide bed session (P = .02 and .02, respectively). In addition, survey results showed that rescuers felt more comfortable and less exhausted in the narrow bed session compared with the wide bed session (P < .001 and < .001).ConclusionsWhen rescuers performed chest compressions on an emergency stretcher, chest compression quality increased, and the fatigue of rescuers decreased compared with a standard hospital bed. Therefore, we propose a narrow bed for critically ill inpatients with high risk of cardiac arrest.