Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Project – Full Written

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Committee Chair

Abby Garlock

Abstract

Introduction: This doctoral project was created to increase bystanders' willingness and ability to perform CPR by building their confidence in performing it effectively. A total of 13 participants participated in this project to increase knowledge and confidence in CPR interventions.

Background: Cardiac arrests remain a leading cause of death, yet research indicates that rural communities have lower rates of bystanders trained and willing to assist. Increasing CPR awareness and eliminating barriers to care for classes can improve CPR confidence and have a positive community impact.

Methods: Three 4-hour CPR classes were held in Zirconia, NC, at no cost to the community. An optional survey was administered before and after the class intervention to measure participants' confidence. This project focused on improving community awareness of CPR interventions and increasing confidence in responding to cardiac arrest emergencies.

Results: A total of 13 participants completed the pre- and post-test surveys, with 11 participants demonstrating a 30% or greater increase in confidence, with an average increase of 2.2 confidence points. This demonstrates the effectiveness of community CPR classes to improve bystander CPR confidence.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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