[Cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation knowledge of Critical Care Nursing].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES In general, as ICU nursing staff is always close from the patients, their members most commonly identify the cardiac arrest and begin the cardiac and pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The objective of this study was to evaluate the critical care nursing staff theoretical knowledge about cardiac arrest and CPR, as a basis for an in-service training. METHODS Descriptive research with quantitative approach developed in an ICU, of general hospital at state of Santa Catarina - Brazil. The population was composed of nurses, nursing technicians and nursing assistants. The data were collected with a structured questionnaire with questions about the theme. The results were analyzed based on medical and nursing bibliographies about cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. RESULTS Twenty-six professionals answered the questionnaire, fifty four percent worked for more than two years in the ICU. The cardiac arrest signals were identified correctly by only 15.4% of the professionals. The main causes of cardiac arrest were mentioned correctly by 53.8% of participants. Answered correctly the most used medications in a CPR 65.4% of the participants. CONCLUSIONS The work time of the nursing professionals in ICU and their professional category had influenced positively the knowledge about CPR and cardiac arrest. The fact that the majority of the participants (84.6%) do not identify correctly cardiac arrest and 34.6% do not recognize the medications used, may compromise the beginning, organization and quickness of the maneuvers. The study may present some basis for the theoretical approach of an in-service training program for the ICU nursing staff of the hospital where the study was held.