Barriers and Facilitators for Interaction in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Teams: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Cardiac arrest is a dangerous situation whose outcome depends on immediate interventions called cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR). The quality of these interventions depends on the performance and communication of the resuscitation team; therefore, this study was conducted to explain the factors affecting the interaction of cardiopulmonary resuscitation team members. Methods: This qualitative study used a content analysis approach in Iran. It took place over 12 months, from December 2023 to December 2024. The research population was all members of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation teams of educational and medical centers. The researchers started the sampling purposively until they reached data saturation. For data collection, in-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The data were analyzed via 20 MAXQDA software. Results: Data analysis revealed a main category titled "The Complexity of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Interactions." Additionally, it identified 5 general categories and 7 subcategories. The general categories and subcategories were: " Consensus in Resuscitation" "Pre-resuscitation Coordination", " Post-resuscitation Debriefing"), " Communication Clarity ", "Interaction in Team rotation" ("Normal Rotation", and "Abnormal Rotation"), "Personal Conflicts" and "Team Leadership Style" ("Autocratic Leadership", "Laissez-faire" and "Participatory Leadership") Conclusion: The results showed that the complex conditions of resuscitation team interactions are influenced by various factors. Therefore, by carefully planning to enhance facilitating factors—such as consensus in resuscitation, communication clarity, normal rotation, and a participatory leadership style—and addressing inhibiting factors—such as personal conflicts, abnormal rotation, and an autocratic leadership style—we can hope for optimal interaction in teamwork, ultimately leading to successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation.