This study aimed to determine whether using a visible landmark could improve the quality of infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In this matched, randomized, simulation-based study conducted at a tertiary academic hospital, PALS-certified nurses who provided informed consent performed three cycles of infant chest compressions on a Laerdal Little Baby manikin equipped with a QCPR sensor. Each participant completed compressions under one of three randomized conditions: correct landmark, incorrect landmark, and no landmark. The primary outcome was compression accuracy, and the secondary outcome was hand position consistency across cycles. Twenty-seven PALS-certified nurses were enrolled and evenly randomized into the three groups. Mean compression accuracy was significantly higher in the correct-landmark group compared with the incorrect- and no-landmark groups (99.6% vs. 46.9% and 68.1%, respectively; p < 0.001). Compression depth and rate did not differ among groups, with all within the PALS-recommended range. Cycle-to-cycle spatial variability across cycles was also greatest in the correct-landmark group, demonstrating enhanced precision and reproducibility of infant chest compressions. In this simulation-based study, placing a visible landmark at the correct anatomical site significantly improved the accuracy and consistency of infant chest compressions. Further studies in clinical settings are warranted to validate these findings.
Kim et al. (Wed,) studied this question.