A Swedish team with members from several parts of the healthcare sector has won gold at the World Championship in advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (A-HLR) in Milan.
The team includes John-Åke Palm, an anaesthetic nurse and lecturer at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at Karolinska Institutet. The victory is the result of dedicated training and demonstrates skills that can make a difference when lives are at stake.
When the World Championship in advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation was held in Milan, Swedish team Team ROSC stood at the top of the podium. After progressing through the qualifying rounds, the team defeated competitors from Italy and Czechia in the final to become world champions.
The team included John-Åke Palm, an anaesthetic nurse and lecturer at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at Karolinska Institutet.
The competition is held in connection with the European Resuscitation Council’s annual congress. Last year, Team ROSC competed in the European Championship in Rotterdam and won gold. With participants from several continents taking part this year, the competition was upgraded to a world championship.
Realistic scenarios put skills to the test
The competition is based on realistic patient cases in which teams must assess patients, provide treatment and work together under time pressure. In the qualifying rounds, all scenarios involved children. One case concerned an eight-year-old boy who had suffered a cardiac arrest.
In the final, the teams instead faced adult patients, with even greater demands on medical expertise and teamwork.
“We have trained extensively together and had the opportunity to refine our medical knowledge, teamwork and communication,” says John-Åke Palm.
The ability to work together is crucial when seconds can make the difference between life and death.
More than a competition
For the participants, the championship is about far more than medals and rankings. The training provides an opportunity to practise situations that can arise at any time in everyday clinical work.
“It is rewarding to compete in something that is so important in our daily work — being able to save lives — while also feeling that we have actually developed since last year’s European Championship,” says John-Åke Palm.
He emphasises that the experience gained from the competition also benefits patients and colleagues.
“For us, it is not just about the competition itself and the victory, but about being as well prepared as possible for situations that can arise at any time in real life.”
Knowledge that is passed on
Team ROSC consists of doctors and nurses from different parts of Swedish healthcare. All team members are instructors in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid and medical simulation. As a result, the experience gained from the championship has a direct link to education and professional development in healthcare.
Next year, a new world championship will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, and the team is already planning to defend its title.
“Above all, we look forward to taking the experience back to our training in scenario-based practice, teamwork, team leadership and communication. We can use this when training both students and hospital staff,” says John-Åke Palm.
Facts: Team ROSC
Team ROSC consists of doctors and nurses from different parts of Swedish healthcare.
John-Åke Palm — anaesthetic nurse and lecturer at Karolinska Institutet.
Emil Boström — specialist physician in emergency medicine and internal medicine, Theme Emergency and Reparative Medicine, Medical Unit Emergency at Karolinska University Hospital.
Viktorija Matuleviciene Anängen — consultant physician in internal medicine and CPR lead physician, Theme Emergency and Reparative Medicine, Medical Unit Emergency at Karolinska University Hospital.
Henrik Norman Lindgren — specialist nurse in pre-hospital and emergency care, working in ambulance services in Jönköping and Västra Götaland.
Andreas Stenvall — specialist nurse in ambulance and anaesthetic care at Skåne University Hospital in Lund and Central Hospital in Kristianstad.
Jesper Wallin — specialist nurse specialising in surgical care, Theme Emergency and Reparative Medicine, Medical Unit Emergency at Karolinska University Hospital.
Mia Palm — anaesthetic and intensive care nurse and team coach.
All team members are instructors in basic CPR, in-hospital CPR for adults and children, advanced CPR for adults and children, first aid and medical simulation.
