The importance of the team in small animal CPR

Abstract

This review draws on evidence from human medicine to assess the team factors most relevant to small animal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It is increasingly being recognised that leadership, team building, communication and situational awareness all impact both the team's experience and clinical outcomes. Leadership training, nurse-led teams, debriefing, closed-loop communication and cognitive aids have all been shown to improve CPR performance and thus deserve consideration alongside the practical elements of arrest and resuscitation. There is limited primary evidence to support this claim in veterinary medicine. However, the mental models underpinning clinical human factors are largely seen as transferable, with veterinary governing bodies supporting their inclusion in practice culture and training.