Trinity Health Muskegon Saves Lives Using the Gold Standard Training for Resuscitation: RQI

MUSKEGON, Mich. (April 6, 2023) – Trinity Health Muskegon is the first and only hospital in Michigan to adopt the Resuscitation Quality Improvement^® (RQI^®) clinical digital resuscitation education program offered by the American Heart Association^® and Laerdal Medical, and it is one of the first hospitals in the U.S. to achieve this 5-year commitment milestone.

RQI is a performance improvement program that delivers quarterly training to support mastery of high-quality CPR skills.

“RQI allows a focus on competency, not certification,” said Linda Dunmore, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CPHQ, CHSP, chief nursing officer at Trinity Health Muskegon. “Instead of a classroom-style instruction every two years, RQI brings front line caregivers to the mannequin quarterly, reviewing the skills required by the most up-to-date CPR guidelines. When a critical situation occurs, superior Basic Life Support (BLS) is an absolute must.”

Using digital, interactive technology, participants enrolled in RQI gain high competence in CPR skills that focus on compressions and ventilations. Five mannequin stations are strategically dispersed throughout the hospital to allow easy accessibility for colleagues to complete their quarterly instruction, feedback, and e-certification, which is valid for three months.

“This program has evidence that practicing high-quality CPR and being reminded to train four times a year saves lives. RQI has the potential to help improve the out-of-hospital and in-hospital survival rates,” said D. Dirk Bonnema, cardiologist at Trinity Health Muskegon.

The previous system of checking every two years didn’t offer learners instant feedback.

Dr. Bonnema said, “I find it helpful when I get my reminder for CPR training. If you give breathes too frequently or infrequently, or if you give compressions and don’t relax enough to let the heart fill up, the computer gives you that feedback. RQI improves a person’s skills. I pass every time.”

Medical residents and fellows also benefit from RQI enrollment, with 76 currently participating. RQI is also a vital part of nursing education. All patient-facing nurses and many other hospital staff complete RQI.

Results have been consistently outstanding due to the way the program has been embraced. CPR scores have improved an amazing 14–15% since RQI was implemented in 2017, with compression and ventilation averages in the upper 90s on a scale of 100. In fact, Trinity Health Muskegon is the first to receive and hold RQI Lighthouse distinction, which recognizes an exclusive group of hospitals from around the country that demonstrate resuscitation, quality improvement and patient care best practices using the RQI program.