Healthcare providers’ confidence, satisfaction, and perceived preparedness following a multicomponent simulation-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation training program in Gaza

Abstract

Background High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) requires not only technical competence but also confidence, effective teamwork, and psychological readiness among healthcare providers. Evidence regarding the impact of simulation-based CPR training on healthcare providers’ confidence, satisfaction, and perceived preparedness remains limited in conflict-affected and resource-constrained settings. Objective To assess healthcare providers’ self-confidence, satisfaction, and perceived preparedness following an intensive, multicomponent simulation-based CPR training program implemented among physicians and nurses working in governmental critical care facilities in Gaza. Methods This was a single-group evaluation of an intensive, 8-h multicomponent simulation-based CPR training program delivered to 100 healthcare providers (50 physicians, 50 nurses) working in emergency rooms, intensive care units, and coronary care units at Al-Shifa Medical Complex, Gaza, between August and December 2022, aligned with the 2020 American Heart Association Guidelines. Participants were recruited using purposive, non-probability sampling of all eligible clinical staff in these units. Self-reported confidence in CPR-related competencies was assessed before and after the intervention using identical questionnaire items; satisfaction and perceived preparedness were assessed only after the intervention. Outcomes were measured on a structured, five-point Likert-scale questionnaire (Cronbach’s α = 0.87), content-validated by an expert panel and refined through a pilot study, analyzed descriptively using SPSS version 26. Results Participants reported very high satisfaction across all training domains, with instructor feedback usefulness rated highest (4.75 ± 0.39). Self-reported confidence increased markedly from pre- to post-training across all assessed domains: confidence in performing CPR rose from 2.91 ± 0.82 to 4.63 ± 0.51, airway management confidence from 2.85 ± 0.79 to 4.58 ± 0.54, and CPR team leadership confidence from 2.73 ± 0.88 to 4.49 ± 0.57. Most participants (92%) preferred simulation-based training over traditional lecture-based methods, and post-training perceived preparedness for real cardiac arrest situations was high (rapid response ability, 4.71 ± 0.40). Conclusion Multicomponent simulation-based CPR training was associated with marked improvement in healthcare providers’ self-reported confidence, and was accompanied by high levels of post-training satisfaction and perceived emergency preparedness in a conflict-affected healthcare environment. Integrating structured simulation-based education into continuing professional development programs may strengthen emergency response capacity and workforce readiness in resource-limited settings.