Basic Life Support (BLS) Practice Exam

During a debriefing after a resuscitation event, which chest compression fraction (CCF) indicates a need for improvement?

1. 25%

2. 35%

3. 40%

4. 50%

The correct answer is: 35%

The chest compression fraction (CCF) is a critical metric in assessing the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It represents the proportion of time that effective chest compressions are being delivered during the entire resuscitation attempt, calculated as the percentage of compressions relative to the total time of the resuscitation. A CCF below 50% indicates that less than half of the resuscitation time is spent delivering compressions, which is insufficient for maintaining blood circulation effectively during cardiac arrest. While a CCF of 35% reflects a significant amount of time spent not providing compressions—whether due to interruptions for ventilations or other reasons—it starkly points to a need for improvement. Ideally, a CCF should be maintained as close to 80% or above to maximize the chances of survival, emphasizing the importance of minimizing interruptions during chest compressions. Thus, a CCF of 35% signifies that there is considerable room for improvement in the efficiency and quality of CPR delivery, making it the value that indicates immediate attention for enhancement in practice.