The Use of the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Abstract Background A cardiopulmonary arrest is a critical event whose survival rate is related to the quality of resuscitation maneuvers combined with the use of technology. It is important to understand the perception of fatigue during this procedure, aiming to improve the effectiveness of compressions to increase the chances of survival. Objectives To apply the Borg rating of perceived exertion scale (Borg scale) to analyze the exertion perceived by nurses during cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers using a feedback device. Methods Experimental study with a randomized distribution of nurses in a teaching hospital. Perceived exertion during simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitation with/without a feedback device was assessed using the Borg scale. The statistical significance level of 5% was adopted. Results 69 nurses working in critical and non-critical adult care units were included. Perceived exertion and heart rate were lower in the intervention group (p