Study about Overcoming Barriers to CPR Initiation and Continuation: Linguistic Strategies Used by Ambulance Call-Takers

Written by Dr Monish Raut Published On 2025-03-11T20:45:09+05:30 | Updated On 12 March 2025 11:25 AM IST

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Recent study focused on identifying call-taker strategies to address callers' perceptions of CPR 'inappropriateness' for patients with suspected out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Call-takers play a crucial role in prompting callers to initiate and continue cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The research aimed to analyze interactions from call recordings and transcripts to understand how call-takers utilized linguistic features and strategies to overcome barriers to CPR initiation and continuation.

Linguistic Strategies in CPR Calls

Through a linguistic approach, the study analyzed 31 calls with identified inappropriateness barriers to CPR. Call-takers employed various strategies, including minimal tokens of alignment, deontics, and providing context or a rationale. The findings revealed that call-takers rarely used a single strategy in isolation but combined different features to successfully address callers' perceptions of CPR inappropriateness. Overall, call-taker attempts were successful in overcoming 71% of initiation barriers and 88% of continuation barriers.

Utilization of Linguistic Features

The study highlighted that call-takers used a combination of linguistic features and strategies to address perceived inappropriateness to CPR. Minimal tokens for alignment, deontics, and providing context or rationale were the most commonly used approaches. Call-takers often employed a mix of strategies to persuade callers to initiate or continue CPR, emphasizing the importance of building rapport and providing reasons for CPR necessity.

Phases of the Study

Phase 1 of the study focused on coding call-taker strategies, identifying features like minimal/symbolic tokens for alignment and deontics. Phase 2 involved a discourse analysis of transcript extracts to examine the interactions between callers and call-takers in detail. The research emphasized the importance of integrating these identified techniques into call-taker training to improve patient outcomes post-cardiac arrest.

Collaborative Efforts and Communication Dynamics

In conclusion, the collaborative efforts between call-takers and callers to navigate barriers to CPR initiation and continuation were essential. By utilizing specific linguistic features and strategies, call-takers could effectively persuade callers to overcome perceived inappropriateness barriers to CPR. This study sheds light on the nuanced communication dynamics during emergency calls and underscores the significance of tailored training for call-takers to enhance their interactions with callers during CPR-related situations.

Key Points

- The study aimed to identify call-taker strategies addressing callers' perceptions of CPR 'inappropriateness' for patients with suspected out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

- Call-takers utilized linguistic features like minimal tokens of alignment, deontics, and providing context to overcome barriers to CPR initiation and continuation.

- Call-takers combined different strategies to successfully address callers' perceptions of CPR inappropriateness, overcoming 71% of initiation barriers and 88% of continuation barriers.

- The research highlighted the importance of call-takers using a mix of linguistic features and strategies to persuade callers to initiate or continue CPR, emphasizing the need for building rapport and providing reasons for CPR necessity.

- The study had two phases: coding call-taker strategies in phase 1 and conducting a discourse analysis of transcript extracts in phase 2 to improve call-taker training and patient outcomes post-cardiac arrest.

- Collaborative efforts and effective communication dynamics between call-takers and callers were vital in navigating barriers to CPR initiation and continuation, emphasizing tailored training for call-takers to enhance interactions during CPR-related situations.

Reference –

Emogene S Aldridge et al. (2024). Breaking Down Barriers: Call-Taker Strategies To Address Caller Perception Of Inappropriateness Of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation During The Emergency Ambulance Call.. *Resuscitation*, 110459.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2024.110459

Cardiopulmonary resuscitationOut-of-hospital cardiac arrestEmergency callsBarriers to CPRDiscourse analysisLanguage

Dr Monish Raut

MBBS, MD (Anaesthesiology), FNB (Cardiac Anaesthesiology)

Dr Monish Raut is a practicing Cardiac Anesthesiologist. He completed his MBBS at Government Medical College, Nagpur, and pursued his MD in Anesthesiology at BJ Medical College, Pune. Further specializing in Cardiac Anesthesiology, Dr Raut earned his FNB in Cardiac Anesthesiology from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi.