V-CPR Under Special Circumstances

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a major cause of death globally, with bystander CPR rates varying widely (13-82%) despite public health efforts. Early recognition, EMS activation, and immediate CPR are key to survival, often beginning with a layperson guided by an emergency dispatcher. Telephone-assisted CPR (T-CPR), where dispatchers give verbal instructions, is common but limited-dispatchers can't see the scene or correct CPR technique. In contrast, video-assisted CPR (V-CPR) enables visual feedback, potentially improving performance in areas like compression rate and hand placement. However, evidence is mixed regarding its effect on compression depth, and initiating a video call may introduce delays. While V-CPR's technical benefits have been studied, little is known about how real-world distractions-like noise or poor lighting-affect its effectiveness. Our simulation study aimed to compare T-CPR and V-CPR under both ideal and challenging conditions to assess the impact of environmental factors on layperson CPR quality and dispatcher support.