Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Apr 5, 2025
Date Accepted: Sep 16, 2025
Ghana Heart Initiative training for cardiac arrest management among healthcare professionals: outcomes evaluation study (2019–2024)
ABSTRACT
Background:
Health professionals are required to stay updated on the latest guidelines for basic life support (BLS) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) to quickly and effectively help patients survive a cardiac emergency. Since its inception in 2018, the Ghana Heart Initiative has built capacity and expertise to manage cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including cardiac emergencies. The study aimed to assess knowledge and proficiency of BLS and ACLS among health professionals in Ghana.
Objective:
To assess knowledge and skills of BLS and ACLS among health professionals through training to empower them to manage cardiac arrest effectively in Ghana.
Methods:
A total of 6,099 health professionals were trained in CVDs from 2019 to 2024 of which 541 was BLS and 302 was ACLS. A cross-sectional training-based study was conducted on the BLS and ACLS but only 229 of BLS (42%) and 124 of ACLS (41%) training between June 2019 and May 2023 had complete data for analysis. Knowledge and skills was evaluated through questionnaire and instructor-led skills assessment, based on the updated 2018 and 2020 American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency cardiovascular care (ECC).
Results:
The study showed that 75% of the health professionals had adequate knowledge and skills about BLS. Those who worked in primary healthcare facilities were 80% less likely (AOR = 0.20; 95% Cl: [0.07-0.59], p = 0.003) to have inadequate knowledge about BLS than those who worked in tertiary healthcare facilities. Workers from some region performed better in BLS: some were 4.94 times less likely to perform well (AOR = 4.94; 95% Cl: [1.17-20.80], p = 0.029). Over 73% of the health professionals had adequate knowledge and skills in ACLS. Compared with their male counterparts, females were 7.05 times less likely (AOR = 7.05; 95% Cl: [2.69 – 18.46], p < 0.001) to have requisite knowledge and skills in ACLS.
Conclusions:
BLS and ACLS knowledge and skills among healthcare professionals in Ghana were adequate post training.
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