Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation among Nurses Working at a Tertiary Hospital in Ghana: A Cross-sectional Study

A BSTRACT Introduction: Cardiac arrest is a critical medical emergency characterized with a sudden cessation of cardiac activity leading to loss of consciousness, abnormal breathing, as well as absence of circulation. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) stands out as a vital lifesaving intervention, particularly crucial for healthcare professionals, with nurses often serving as primary responders in healthcare settings. This research aims to evaluate the current attitude and knowledge of nurses on CPR at Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH). Furthermore, we aim at comparing attitude and knowledge of nurses on CPR in HTH to earlier studies conducted in other hospitals in the world. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed at HTH, utilizing a pretested, self-administered, structured questionnaire to gather data on participants’ knowledge and attitude toward CPR. Results: Out of 323 participants who were recruited, 61.2% were female and 38.8% were male with a mean age of 27.2 years. The study found out that 86.7% of participants had good knowledge of CPR, while 74.8% had a good attitude toward CPR. There was a significant association ( P = 0.026) between the level of knowledge on CPR levels and the attitude of the nurses of HTH toward CPR. Conclusion: The majority of nurses have good knowledge and attitude toward CPR in HTH. However, ensuring ongoing education and refresher programs will help equip nurses with the most recent CPR guidelines and hence maintain a high proficiency in delivering this emergency procedure.