Knowledge of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Code Blue Situations Among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) remains a major global cause of mortality. Prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and effective Code Blue response are critical for survival. Medical students, as future providers, should be adequately trained in these life-saving skills. This study aimed to assess CPR and Code Blue knowledge among clinical-year medical students and identify factors associated with good knowledge. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 142 medical students (fourth- to fifth years) at the Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. A validated 14-item questionnaire covering CPR and Code Blue principles was distributed via Google Forms. Knowledge scores were calculated (maximum score=14) and categorized as good (>60% of total) or poor (≤60%). RESULTS: Participants had a mean age of 22±2 years; 56.3% were female. Most students (88.7%) reported prior CPR training, while 36.6% had previously performed CPR. In response distribution, 69% answered "yes" to "Code Blue" being the standard hospital code for cardiac or respiratory arrest, while 26.8% reported "I don't know." For chest compression rate (100-120 compression/min) and ventilation ratio (30:2), 83.1% answered "yes." Pulse-check duration ≤10 s was marked "yes" by 65.5% of students. Only 33.1% answered "yes" regarding automated external defibrillator (AED) use on a wet patient, and 42.3% for AED use in pacemaker patients. The mean total knowledge score was 9±3, with 64.8% achieving good knowledge. Prior CPR performance was significantly associated with good knowledge (44.6% vs. 22%, p=0.008). Prior training showed a borderline association (p=0.061). CONCLUSIONS: Medical students demonstrated variable knowledge of CPR and Code Blue protocols, with notable gaps in AED use. Performing CPR was strongly associated with higher knowledge, emphasizing the importance of hands-on experience in undergraduate training.