Submitted via IRC for SoyCow8317
New research presented at this year's Euroanaesthesia congress in Copenhagen, Denmark shows that the quality of chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be improved by using either a smartphone app or by using the song 'La Macarena' as a mental memory aid.
Improving the quality of compressions performed during CPR can significantly increase the chance of survival and lead to better health outcomes. The goal of the study was to compare the effectiveness of a smartphone metronome application, and a musical mental metronome in the form of the song "La Macarena" at improving the quality of chest compressions. Both the app and the song provide a regular rhythm to help time compressions.
The team selected a group of 164 medical students from the University of Barcelona to perform continuous chest compressions on a manikin for 2 minutes. Subjects either received no guidance (control), were provided with the smartphone app (App group), or were asked to perform compressions to the mental beat of the song "La Macarena" (Macarena group).
The authors conclude that: "Both the app and using mental memory aid 'La Macarena' improved the quality of chest compressions by increasing the proportion of adequate rate but not the depth of compressions. The metronome app was more effective but with a significant onset delay."
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180601225705.htm
[Editor's Comment: This is not a new idea, there was publicity a few years back in the UK for a similar thing but using "Staying Alive" by the BeeGees for the musical beat, and another editor was told during medical training to use "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen. Both seem more appropriate titles than '"La Macarena" - perhaps this is just a twist on whatever music is currently popular. Of course, 'using an app' might replace 'using a computer' as the most pointless claim to being different.]
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 07 2018, @04:37PM
This is a trick. We've always been at war with Euroanaesthesia.