Low-pressure air chamber positioner and high quality CPR

One of the tools in the arsenal of pressure injury prevention is a low-pressure air chamber positioning system (mat). The product is comprised of a skin-friendly material that can remain under the patient all the time with an air chamber that offloads pressure. Due to the air chamber under the patient, concern was raised during trial of the product about the ability to provide high-quality CPR to patients on the mat. The manufacturer was able to provide only anecdotal evidence of CPR being of high quality for patients on the mat, but no information was found in the literature stating the efficacy of CPR with the device for institutions planning to utilize the positioning system.

Due to the concern around the efficacy of CPR being provided while evaluating the product, a quaternary academic children’s hospital with over 44  beds between CVICU and PICU made the decision to examine the quality of CPR on the mat using simulation. Utilizing a simulator, defibrillator with immediate CPR feedback capability and a pediatric high fidelity simulation mannequin, CPR was simulated with the air chamber positioner. Simulation was conducted with several different configurations including back board under the ‘patient’, back board under the positioner, and with the tail of the positioner both in the tucked and untucked positions. In all configurations, high-quality CPR consistent with the American Heart Association (AHA) 2015 recommendations, was performed across four different healthcare professionals in compressor role.