MP25: Assessing the learning impact of the Northern City of Heroes public exhibit on bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation response

Abstract

Innovation Concept: In Sudbury, ON 44% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients receive bystander CPR (bCPR), and only 4.7% survive cardiac arrest. The Northern City of Heroes (NCH) community initiative was launched in April 2019 with a goal of improving survival from OHCA through hands-only bCPR in the municipality. One NCH initiative is an interactive exhibit at Science North, a science centre in Sudbury that hosts 250,000 visitors annually. The exhibit employs simulation trainers for CPR, accompanying signage and interactive elements. The goals of the exhibit are to activate bCPR, change and measure behaviours through exhibit interactions on how to deliver excellent CPR, and improve survival rates in OHCA patients. Methods: Data is being collected from 3000 visitors using self-reported surveying via SurveyGizmo to assess likelihood of performing bCPR, pre and post interacting with the exhibit. Visitor behaviour will be examined at the exhibit using video-recorded interactions and coding those behaviours using BORIS software. Behavioural data will be analyzed using the Visitor Engagement Framework (VEF) where initiation, transition and breakthrough learning-behaviours are coded and an exhibit Visitor Engagement Profile (VEP) is created. The VEF and VEP are tools used in informal learning settings to assess exhibit impacts on learning. Curriculum, Tool, or Material: The use of an easily-apprehendable, hands-on exhibit tool located in a public setting, such as a science centre, creates a platform for engaging large and diverse public audiences. This type of bCPR exhibitry has not been implemented in other similar environments. The informal learning setting allows the science centre staff to engage in personalized interactions that can solidify the quality of learning and confidence in employing the new skills developed. Conclusion: The NCH exhibit and new strategies for embedding informal curriculum are powerful tools to reach diverse audiences, build knowledge and skills, and have a measurable impact on bCPR and OHCA survival rates. Data is being captured and tracked by Health Sciences North around the City of Greater Sudbury's bCPR and OHCA survival rates to monitor long-term impacts of the NCH community initiatives. Limitations of the study may be found in the focused demographics as well as the nature of self-reported learning. Future research directions include broader geographical surveying to assess improvements in community response to OHCA as a direct result of an interactive bCPR exhibitry.