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While we can all agree that learning high quality CPR training matters in both human and veterinary medicine, does refresher training make a difference?

  The first step in being a high-quality pet resuscitator is learning how to perform CPR. Options for this include reading about CPR, taking interactive courses in CPR training, and in-person training. Building this solid foundation is the first step to becoming an expert. After learning the basics, these steps have to be practiced in non-emergency settings until they are natural and instinctual. Once CPR training has been practiced and mastered in drills/training exercises, using them in emergency situations is appropriate. Unfortunately, in some avenues of veterinary medicine, these CPR skills are tested daily in emergency hospitals. In other cases, these skills thankfully are only needed a few times a year. Whether it’s daily or yearly, CPR skills always need to be polished and ready to use. This requires refresher training. In human medicine, CPR refresher training is recommended every 3-6 months, and at Intensivets we encourage all of our pet CPR resuscitators to aim for these same goals. Refresher training is often two-fold: refreshing basics through interactive on-line training/didactic training and mannequin training drills. As a hospital, CPR training drills should be completed quarterly, and debriefing should occur afterwards to create goals for improvement and retraining. A study completed in 2012 in the Emergency Medical Clinics of North America compared CPR efficacy and quality with traditional training and training with refresher courses and expert debriefing. They noted significant decline in quality of CPR months after traditional training with no refresher training but saw less decline with refresher training and a longer retention of skill after refresher training. The graph below shows their findings:

Figure 1, Resuscitation quality after training. Curve A depicts quality decline after traditional instruction. Note the fall into gray shaded zone of poor quality several months after initial training. Curve B represents the theoretical addition of high realism simulation and expert debriefing. Although there is no change in rate of psychomotor skill quality decrement over time, resuscitation quality is maintained longer owing to higher level of initial skill acquisition. Curve C represents addition of frequent refresher training in addition to simulation to prevent decrement to poor quality.

Graph Source: Sutton RM, Nadkarni V, Abella BS. “Putting it all together” to improve resuscitation quality. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2011;30(1):105–122. doi:10.1016/j.emc.2011.09.001

  How can Intensivets’ CPR course help veterinary CPR resuscitators stay on the top of their skill level? The Intensivets interactive course is available for review for up to a year after purchase and can be available for the quarterly refreshers. Individuals can upload videos of CPR drills in their clinics and Dr. Whitehead and Dr. Hemmelgarn can provide feedback and recommended goals to improve individual or team performance. Intensivets also provides in hospital training (contact us directly if interested in location trainings). To learn more about Intensivets course offerings or in-hospital training visits, visit the courses page here or email info@intensivets.com.