Team-Based Resuscitation in a Clinical Setting

When additional rescuers arrive, CPR transitions from a two-rescuer approach to a fully coordinated team-based resuscitation. This allows for greater efficiency, reduced rescuer fatigue, and improved patient outcomes.

Why Team-Based CPR Improves Outcomes

• Clear role assignments: Each rescuer focuses on a specific task, minimizing confusion.
• More efficient compressions and ventilations: Dedicated roles ensure better coordination and timing.
• Reduces rescuer fatigue: With more responders, rescuers can rotate tasks while maintaining high-quality CPR.

Key Roles in Team-Based Resuscitation

A well-functioning team operates like a pit crew, with each member assigned a critical role:

• Compressor: Performs high-quality chest compressions (switches every 2 minutes to prevent fatigue).
• Airway Manager: Maintains an open airway and delivers breaths via bag-mask or advanced airway.
• AED/Monitor Operator: Attaches defibrillator pads, analyzes rhythm, and delivers shocks if indicated.
• IV/Medication Provider: Establishes vascular access and administers emergency drugs (if within scope of practice).
• Team Leader: Oversees the resuscitation, assigns roles, and ensures closed-loop communication.

Transitioning from Two-Rescuer to Team-Based CPR

When additional rescuers arrive, they should integrate smoothly into the ongoing CPR effort:

1. The arriving team members quickly identify their assigned roles.
2. The first rescuer provides a brief patient status update to the team leader.
3. New rescuers take over compressions and airway management to relieve fatigued rescuers.
4. Rhythm analysis and defibrillation occur without delaying compressions.

Effective Team Coordination: The Pit Crew Model

High-performance teams follow the Pit Crew Model, where each person has a defined responsibility, and all actions are executed simultaneously, not sequentially.

Example of a Well-Coordinated Resuscitation Team

💡 Imagine a hospital-based code blue scenario:

• Compressor: Delivers continuous chest compressions, switching every 2 minutes.
• Airway Manager: Uses a bag-mask to ventilate the patient or prepares for advanced airway placement.
• AED/Monitor Operator: Attaches defibrillator pads, assesses heart rhythm, and delivers shocks when necessary.
• IV/Medication Provider: Establishes IV/IO access and administers epinephrine per protocol.
• Team Leader: Provides clear direction, ensures proper execution of interventions, and communicates with the broader medical team.

Common Pitfalls in Team-Based CPR (And How to Avoid Them)

• Unclear role assignments → Assign roles immediately upon arrival.
• Poor communication → Use closed-loop communication (covered in the next lesson).
• Fatigue affecting performance → Switch rescuers regularly to maintain quality.

When executed correctly, team-based resuscitation is highly effective and leads to better patient outcomes. Next, we’ll cover how to use closed-loop communication to enhance teamwork and reduce errors.