Knowledge of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Code Blue Situations Among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) remains a major global cause of mortality. Prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and effective Code Blue response are critical for survival. Medical students, as future providers, should be adequately trained in these life-saving skills. This study aimed to assess CPR and Code Blue knowledge among clinical-year medical students and identify factors associated with good knowledge.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 142 medical students (fourth- to fifth years) at the Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. A validated 14-item questionnaire covering CPR and Code Blue principles was distributed via Google Forms. Knowledge scores were calculated (maximum score=14) and categorized as good (>60% of total) or poor (≤60%).

RESULTS

Participants had a mean age of 22±2 years; 56.3% were female. Most students (88.7%) reported prior CPR training, while 36.6% had previously performed CPR. In response distribution, 69% answered "yes" to "Code Blue" being the standard hospital code for cardiac or respiratory arrest, while 26.8% reported "I don't know." For chest compression rate (100-120 compression/min) and ventilation ratio (30:2), 83.1% answered "yes." Pulse-check duration ≤10 s was marked "yes" by 65.5% of students. Only 33.1% answered "yes" regarding automated external defibrillator (AED) use on a wet patient, and 42.3% for AED use in pacemaker patients. The mean total knowledge score was 9±3, with 64.8% achieving good knowledge. Prior CPR performance was significantly associated with good knowledge (44.6% vs. 22%, p=0.008). Prior training showed a borderline association (p=0.061).

CONCLUSIONS

Medical students demonstrated variable knowledge of CPR and Code Blue protocols, with notable gaps in AED use. Performing CPR was strongly associated with higher knowledge, emphasizing the importance of hands-on experience in undergraduate training.