Effects of Gender-Inclusive CPR Training on Survival Rates of Women Experiencing Cardiac Arrest

In today’s world of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training, there is little to no variety in CPR training manikin structure to represent the diversity seen in different populations. Standard flat-chested CPR manikins do not accurately represent female anatomy (e.g., breasts), potentially impacting the survival rate of women experiencing cardiac arrest who receive bystander CPR. Current research does not explore the statistical differences between the use of breasted CPR manikins in comparison to flat-chested manikins, and it's effect in real-life scenarios. In contrast, the potential addition and normalization of varying CPR manikins of different body sizes, shapes, or with anatomical features is a topic that must be explored and addressed. Using CINAHL, Nursing Reference Center, PubMed, and EBSCO, we searched for peer-reviewed articles from 2018 to the present day. Our search was narrowed using the exclusion criteria of: inpatient, pediatric, males, and articles published after 2018. The literature review indicates the discrepancies of females receiving bystander CPR potentially related to fear of exposing breasts, being accused of sexual harassment or assault, or uncertainty about how to perform adequate CPR with breasts. To address this gap and issue, recommendations include the use of more female-based, anatomical CPR manikins during training and certifications, as well as education and information on the proper techniques to perform CPR on someone with breasts. Furthermore, the exploration of this topic has the potential to lead to life-saving interventions with more successful outcomes for women experiencing cardiac arrest.