Effect of listening to Nellie the Elephant during CPR training on performance of chest compressions by lay people: randomised crossover trial

L. Rawlins and collaborators (1) conclude that listening to “Nellie
the Elephant” during adult CPR improves the rate of chest compressions,
but not the depth of these. The use of a nursery rhyme could be more
useful for newborns. However, advanced neonatal resuscitation is conducted
at a faster rhythm of 120 events per minute, with 30 insufflations and 90
chest compressions (2). Music used in this situation must be chosen
accordingly (3). Providers of neonatal resuscitation could be helped by
the classical French lullaby “Frère Jacques” (“Are you sleeping?”) with
its tempo at 120 beats per minute.

1. Rawlins L, Woollard M, Williams J, Hallam P. Effect of listening
to Nellie the Elephant during CPR training on performance of chest
compressions by lay people: randomised crossover trial. BMJ
2009;339:b4707.

2. The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. The
International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Consensus on
Science With Treatment Recommendations for Pediatric and Neonatal
Patients: Neonatal Resuscitation. Pediatrics 2006;117(5):e978-88.

3. Rigo V, Rigo J. Newborns need another tune: "I will survive" sets
neonatal resuscitation rhythm. Ann Emerg Med 2009;53(6):837.

Competing interests:
None declared