Effectiveness of the Police Save hearts Cardiopulmonary resuscitation program in Peruvian police officers

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Police Save Hearts CPR training program in police cadets in Lima, Peru. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in June 2025 with 300 police cadets. The intervention included a structured educational session with audiovisual resources and supervised practice of compression-only CPR using feedback manikins. The outcomes were knowledge, attitudes toward initiating CPR, and CPR practices assessed before and immediately after the intervention. Paired comparisons were performed with nonparametric tests, and associations between post-intervention scores were evaluated with Spearman's correlation. After the intervention, the proportion of correct responses increased significantly in knowledge, attitudes, and practices (p<0.001 in all cases). Knowledge items reached levels close to universal correctness. Positive attitudes toward performing CPR exceeded 97% in post-intervention items. CPR practices improved markedly, from zero performance at baseline to high levels of adequacy in the steps assessed after training. After the intervention, knowledge was moderately correlated with practices (rho=0.47, p<0.001), while attitudes were not significantly correlated with knowledge or practices. The Police Save Hearts program was effective in improving CPR knowledge, attitudes, and practices among police training students. The incorporation of periodic reinforcement and objective performance feedback could contribute to sustaining competencies and strengthening community first response capacity.