The Cardiac Arrest section only matters if the patient was in cardiac arrest at some point during the call. When it applies, the data here is some of the most-analyzed in EMS.
What to fill in
- Was the arrest witnessed? By whom — bystander, family, EMS?
- Was bystander CPR performed? By whom — family, bystander, healthcare provider?
- Was an AED used before EMS arrived?
- Initial rhythm — what you found on the monitor when you arrived.
- Did you achieve return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC)?
- If ROSC was achieved, what time?
- How did the call end? Sustained ROSC to hospital, lost ROSC, terminated in field, etc.
Why this matters
Cardiac arrest data feeds national registries (CARES, the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium) that drive research into how to improve out-of-hospital arrest survival. Your state and your medical director also review every arrest in detail, so accuracy here matters more than usual.
An example
You respond to an unresponsive patient. The husband was doing CPR when you walked in — he saw her collapse 4 minutes ago. You put her on the monitor and find ventricular fibrillation. You shock once, continue CPR, and after 6 minutes of work you get a pulse back. You transport her with sustained ROSC to a STEMI center. In the Cardiac Arrest section: Witnessed by family, Bystander CPR by family, No AED before EMS, Initial Rhythm Ventricular Fibrillation, ROSC achieved Yes, ROSC Time recorded, Outcome Sustained ROSC to hospital. Years from now, your state's registry can pull this case for research on bystander CPR outcomes.