Barriers to CPR initiation and continuation during the emergency call relating to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A descriptive cohort study

Aim: To describe the barriers to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) initiation and continuation in emergency calls for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Methods: We analysed 295 consecutive emergency calls relating to OHCA over a four-month period (1 January – 30 April 2021). Calls included were paramedic-confirmed, non-traumatic, non-EMS-witnessed OHCA, where the caller was with the patient. Calls were listened to in full and coded in terms of barriers to CPR initiation and continuation, and patient and caller characteristics. Results: Overall, CPR was performed in 69% of calls and, in 85% of these, callers continued performing CPR until EMS arrival. Nearly all callers (99%) experienced barriers to CPR initiation and/or continuation during the call. The barriers identified were classified into eight categories: reluctance, appropriateness, emotion, bystander physical ability, patient access, leaving the scene, communication failure, caller actions and call-taker instructions. Of these, bystander physical ability was the most prevalent barrier to both CPR initiation and continuation, occurring in 191 (65%) calls, followed by communication failure which occurred in 160 (54%) calls. Callers stopping or interrupting CPR performance due to being fatigued was lower than expected (n = 54, 26% of callers who performed CPR). Barriers to CPR initiation that related to bystander physical ability, caller actions, communication failure, emotion, leaving the scene, patient access, procedural barriers, and reluctance were mostly overcome by the caller (i.e., CPR was performed). Conclusion: Barriers to CPR initiation and continuation were commonly experienced by callers, however they were frequently overcome. Future research should investigate the strategies that were successful.