Assessing Workplace First Responders' Competence in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Management: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Out-of-Hospital Cardiac arrest (OHCA) represents a major health threat worldwide. Survival of the victims depends on a strong chain of survival, a coordinated set of actions drawn from first-aid responders in the community. Basic Life Support (BLS) training programs are of great importance in preparing first responders to emergency situations. Given that adults spend most of their time at work, the presence of trained employees is key to ensure immediate lifesaving procedures. Objective: This cross-sectional study investigates the preparedness of a large University first-aid responders in mitigating medical emergencies and especially sudden cardiac arrest. It also discusses the importance of BLS training programs in equipping employees with the necessary skills to respond effectively to medical emergencies. Methods: A survey questionnaire, consisting of 20 questions, was administered to 520 workplace first-aid responder workers. Questions assessed basic life support (BLS) competencies and gathered socio-demographic data. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted on a dataset of 355 responses. Results: Among the participants (70% response rate), the average test score was 9.59 out of 11. No significant impact was found among the tested variables, including gender, age, self-confidence, and time since the last training. However, differences were observed across academic departments, with Architecture scoring higher and History, Philosophy, and Literature scoring lower. Conclusions: Findings from this study support the effectiveness of the Italian legislation in promoting preparedness among first aid respondents in the work environment. While the overall competence levels are high, the variations across departments indicate areas for targeted improvement.