Advantages and Barriers to Use of HeartCode BLS with Voice Advisory Manikins for Teaching Nursing Students

Nursing students are expected to have competency in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): they may care for patients at risk for cardiac arrest and may encounter other emergency situations in their clinical practice. In the United States, students may take a basic life support (BLS) course prior to entering a nursing program or beginning their clinical experience. Extensive research has shown, however, that CPR knowledge and skills decline rapidly, within weeks of completing a course. The purpose of this paper is to describe advantages and barriers to the use of HeartCode™ BLS with voice advisory manikins for learning and practicing CPR psychomotor skills in a nursing education program.