• E Kursumovic, T M Cook, D N Lucas, M T Davies, S Martin, A D Kane, R A Armstrong, F C Oglesby, L Cortes, C Taylor, I K Moppett, S Agarwal, E Beecham, J Cordingley, J Dorey, S J Finney, G Kunst, G Nickols, R Mouton, J P Nolan, B Patel, V J Pappachan, F Plaat, B R Scholefield, J H Smith, L Varney, E C Wain, J Soar, and collaborators.
• Anaesthesia. 2023 Dec 1; 78 (12): 145314641453-1464.

AbstractThe Royal College of Anaesthetists' 7th National Audit Project baseline survey assessed knowledge, attitudes, practices and experiences of peri-operative cardiac arrests among UK anaesthetists and Anaesthesia Associates. We received 10,746 responses, representing a 71% response rate. In-date training in adult and paediatric advanced life support was reported by 9646 (90%) and 7125 (66%) anaesthetists, respectively. There were 8994 (84%) respondents who were confident in leading a peri-operative cardiac arrest, with males more confident than females, but only 5985 (56%) were confident in leading a debrief and 7340 (68%) communicating with next of kin. In the previous two years, 4806 (46%) respondents had managed at least one peri-operative cardiac arrest, of which 321 (7%) and 189 (4%) of these events involved a child or an obstetric patient, respectively. Respondents estimated the most common causes of peri-operative cardiac arrest to be hypovolaemia, hypoxaemia and cardiac ischaemia, with haemorrhage coming fifth. However, the most common reported causes for the most recently attended peri-operative cardiac arrest were haemorrhage; (927, 20%); anaphylaxis (474, 10%); and cardiac ischaemia (397, 9%). Operating lists or shifts were paused or stopped after 1330 (39%) cardiac arrests and 1693 (38%) respondents attended a debrief, with 'hot' debriefs most common. Informal wellbeing support was relatively common (2458, 56%) and formal support was uncommon (472, 11%). An impact on future care delivery was reported by 196 (4%) anaesthetists, most commonly a negative psychological impact. Management of a peri-operative cardiac arrest during their career was reported by 8654 (85%) respondents. The overall impact on professional life was more often judged positive (2630, 30%) than negative (1961, 23%), but impact on personal life was more often negative.© 2023 The Authors. Anaesthesia published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association of Anaesthetists.

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