Nursing training and retraining on cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a theoretical-practical intervention

To analyze the retention of knowledge and skills of nursing professionals following training and retraining on cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This is an intervention, prospective, and analytical study in which 56 nursing professionals received theoretical and practical training in in-service cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Nine months after the first training (T1), these professionals participated in a retraining (T2). They were followed up for 18 months. The linear trend of knowledge and skills in the period following training was calculated and the Wilcoxon test was applied. Interventions increased the knowledge and skills of professionals significantly; however, in the subsequent period, skills decreased. Despite this, after a period of nine months, they were still higher than those identified before the study. There was a reduction of 18.2% in knowledge in the theoretical test after T1 vs 13.0% after T2 (p < 0.01) and a reduction of 7.6% in skills on the practical test after T1 vs 5.3% after T2 (p < 0.01). Nurses were able to retain more knowledge and skills on cardiopulmonary resuscitation after retraining, which stresses the importance of regular training and continuing education in health.