Obstacles and Aspirations for Improving Delivery of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation to Wheelchair Users: A Qualitative Study.
Elisha Deegan, Peter Lewis, Nathan Wilson and 1 others
PMID 40239001WHAT IT FOUND
Carers, wheelchair users and healthcare professionals said standard CPR guidance leaves them afraid to act and may delay care.
They proposed tilting wheelchairs, landmarks for chest compressions, watching for choking signs and wheelchair-specific training, but these ideas were not tested.
Key findings
01Lack of knowledge about CPR for wheelchair users created fear that participants said could hinder or delay emergency care.
02Participants said standard CPR and choking advice did not fit wheelchair users, including that standard choking signs may not be visible.
03Participants proposed wheelchair-specific training, tilting the wheelchair toward flat, and watching for changes in face, skin colour, voice and breathing to recognise choking.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study interviewed 26 people recruited through disability organisations, social media and participant networks, so the views may not represent all wheelchair users, carers or healthcare professionals. People who could not communicate in English or through communication aids were excluded, so it says nothing about emergencies for wheelchair users without English or communication aids. The findings are participants' reported ideas and experiences, not tested CPR techniques, so they do not show what to do in an emergency. The authors note subjectivity in coding and theme development, and possible missed patterns in the large dataset.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The paper names the Australian Government as funder.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the proposed adaptations as evidence that CPR can be safely or effectively delivered in a wheelchair. The study reported participants' ideas and experiences, not tested techniques.