We have introduced the use of female breast vests within resuscitation training sessions to help provide a more realistic representation of women, reduce disparities in resuscitation attempts and improve outcomes for women suffering a cardiac arrest.
The new breast vests, generously funded by Royal Papworth Charity after collaboration between Royal Papworth Hospital's resuscitation team, library and women's network.
Originally developed for clinical breast examination training, the vests can be placed over existing CPR mannequins, which are traditionally male in design, to provide a more realistic representation of female anatomy.
This allows learners to practice correct hand positioning, defibrillator pad placement and appropriate management of clothing, including bras, in a safe and educational environment.
Sara Almeida, Lead Resuscitation Officer at Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Every second counts when someone experiences a cardiac arrest and everyone deserves the same chance of receiving potentially life-saving treatment.
“Unfortunately we know from research that women are often less likely to receive CPR from bystanders (women 68%, compared to men at 73%), often because of uncertainty or concerns around providing treatment on a female chest. While we have always discussed this issue during training sessions, learners have not had the opportunity to practice in a realistic way.
“The introduction of these breast vests, thanks to funding from Royal Papworth Hospital Charity, will allow us to create a more inclusive training environment that better reflects the patients we care for.
“By improving confidence in areas such as hand positioning, defibrillator pad placement and managing clothing, we can help to reduce hesitation and ensure people feel prepared to act quickly when it matters most.”
Stu and Sara from our resuscitation team with one of the breast vests on a mannequin, ahead of a community basic life training session
The breast vests will be used in basic, immediate and advanced life support courses for staff and basic life support training for members of the public attending community sessions.
Research by our hospital's women’s network and a literature review by our library team highlighted consistent findings that women are disadvantaged in receiving timely resuscitation by bystanders and currently training methods do not adequately address these barriers.
For example, a 2020 study by USA-based researchers found that of 638 instructional CPR videos publicly available on Google and YouTube, only three featured a female patient, none of which addressed female-specific considerations.
Within the resuscitation profession there also remain no widely available CPR mannequins that provide a sufficiently realistic representation of female anatomy. An extensive evaluation of available products by the women’s network and resuscitation team saw these breast vests designed for clinical education as the most effective and realistic solution.
Krystyna Grant, Managing Director at Royal Papworth Charity, said: “We were delighted to support this project with charitable funding for the breast vests, to aid CPR training and increase confidence among staff and the general public when treating women who have suffered an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
“This collaborative project has been the subject of much support and discussion among all involved, with the women’s network and library team working tirelessly alongside Sara and the resuscitation team to play important roles in the research and sourcing of the best products.”
“It is thanks to the kindness and generosity of our supporters that we are able to help projects like this across the hospital which, in this case, could make the ultimate difference and save lives.”
Jemma Redfarn, Ward Sister and Co-Chair of the Women's Network at Royal Papworth, added, "Inspired by a wellbeing event in London, I'm proud that the network facilitated the collaboration needed bring this idea to life at Royal Papworth, raising awareness of CPR health inequalities and improving education for our staff and local communities."
The new breast vests in use during a basic life support training session
The resuscitation team at Royal Papworth Hospital offers free basic life support training sessions for members of the public, designed to provide the skills and confidence to act fast in an emergency. Click here for further information about these sessions and to book.
A cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. If you’re witnessing a cardiac arrest, call 999 immediately and start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). You’ll be given instructions whilst you wait for help.