CPREzy Frequently Asked Questions - (Healthcare Professionals and First Aid Trainers )

1. The CPREzy-pad seems very tall, would it be unstable, and inclined to roll over?

The CPREzy-pad has been deliberately designed in this way. The unit is only unstable if pressure is applied at any angle other than perpendicular to the patient's sternum. This design feature therefore encourages the rescuer to deliver chest compressions correctly and therefore effectively

2. When I use the unit it seems to be quite noisy and there seems to be undue resistance - is this right?

Again the noise, and the feeling of plastic scraping against plastic, are symptoms of incorrect hand positioning and/or the chest compressions not being perpendicular. These are design features included to encourage correct and effective compressions.

3. My thumb seems to overlap the "gap" and this causes irritation.

It is important to note that hands should be positioned correctly so that the centre of pressure being applied is over the point on the CPREzy-pad that says "COMPRESS HERE". This point is not the centre of the lower part of the pad but is actually closer to the end of the unit. If pressure is applied at this point most people's hands fit comfortably on the pad and the thumb does not overlap the gap.

4. Does the CPREzy-pad stay in position when being used on a perspiring chest?

This is a common issue with manual chest compressions and the CPREzy-pad has been designed with a nitrile grip to minimise slippage. However, in extreme cases, just as with manual chest compressions, it might be necessary to first wipe the patient's sternum with a towel.

5. Can the CPREzy-pad be left in position during defibrillation?

The CPREzy-pad should be picked up and removed from the chest as the rescuer removes his/her own hands before defibrillation.

6. I'm well trained [or I'm a trainer] and can perform CPR very well, why do I need CPREzy?

It is well accepted that, despite commonly held beliefs, skill loss is a major issue. Without CPREzy there is no way for a rescuer to confirm that he/she is doing chest compressions correctly.

7. As a training aid is it any different to other, existing training aids with feedback lights?

CPREzy-pad has used the concept of feedback lights that has been available for some time in certain training manikins. However, this feature, together with the metronome beep, has been incorporated into a unit that is positioned at exactly the point where the rescuer is focussing - not a metre or so away. The CPREzy is competitively priced and is better value than other training aids that offer similar benefits, but the CPREzy is much more than a training aid and has been developed for use in a real life cardiac arrest situation.

8. Does the CPREzy-pad ever need recalibrating?

100 beats per minute: The rate is derived from an electronic oscillator called a ceramic resonator running at 4,000,000 cycles per second that is accurate to within 1% as required by the CPREzy pad specification. Therefore no calibration of the frequency is required. Force Calibration: The springs are made of AS1472-R2 steel, which is a ferrous material. The maximum stress is 525 Mpa, which results in a fatigue life well over 5,000,000 cycles. If the pad were to be used on a patient every week for 45 minutes the 5,000,000 cycles would be reached in 20 years. The pad itself would not be expected to outlast the springs. Spring fatigue failure is characterised by rapid degradation right near the end of life as a fatigue crack propagates through the material. There is not a gradual degradation of spring characteristics.