Patient and staff experiences of perioperative cardiac arrest
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Patient and healthcare professional experiences of perioperative cardiac arrest during COVID-19: an ethnographic study
IRAS ID
278219
Contact name
Cecilia Vindrola
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2020/02/44, UCL Data Protection Registration number
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 1 days
Research summary
This project looks at the impact of cardiac arrest during anaesthesia or soon afterwards on both patients and anaesthetists. This research study will run parallel to the 7th National Audit Project (NAP7), which is studying cardiac arrests whilst a patient is being cared for by an anaesthetist before, during and after a surgical procedure (perioperative period). Perioperative cardiac arrest has been chosen as the NAP7 topic because it is important for both patients and anaesthetists but we know very little about it due to its relative rarity.
Perioperative cardiac arrest can cause significant long-term harm or death to patients, and can also harm the anaesthetist and colleagues through the stress of the event and its aftermath. There is little known about the impact of perioperative cardiac arrest on the mental wellbeing of survivors and their family/carers.
Increasing evidence suggests that being involved in a resuscitation attempt can harm clinicians. For anaesthetists a death during surgery can have long-term effects on wellbeing and ability to work effectively and safely. We do not know what current practices are for supporting these anaesthetists.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has added complexity to perioperative care that may impact how staff perceive and learn from catastrophic events. The risk of viral transmission has led to changes in how perioperative emergencies are managed, and we do not know how this affects staff and patients involved in cardiac arrest.
The aim of the study is to explore the ‘human’ aspects of perioperative cardiac arrest by performing interviews, observations and document analysis. We will speak to patients, carers and staff in eight hospitals across England and Wales about their experiences of perioperative cardiac arrest. We hope to understand what happens ‘on the ground’ including welfare support and learning, the impact on wellbeing, clinical practice and the impact from COVID-19.REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
21/WA/0179
Date of REC Opinion
17 Jun 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion