Hato Hone St John introduces first female-form CPR manikins, donated by MAS

Hato Hone St John is introducing female-form CPR manikins into its 3 Steps for Life programme, with MAS donating the mannikins to help address inequities in the treatment of women experiencing cardiac arrest.

 Launched on International Restart a Heart Day (16 October) during Shocktober, the pilot sees 16 female-form manikins being trialled across Aotearoa New Zealand to help increase confidence and familiarity when performing CPR and using a defibrillator (AED) on women.

Research has shown women face additional barriers to receiving bystander CPR and defibrillation. Concerns about exposing breasts, uncertainty around AED pad placement, and fear of causing offence can create hesitation in an emergency. As a result, women are half as likely as men to receive lifesaving defibrillation from bystanders and have significantly lower survival rates than men following cardiac arrest. The challenge is compounded by the fact that only around five percent of CPR manikins globally are female, meaning most CPR training is carried out using male manikins.

Hato Hone St John National Manager - Community Education Jacci Tatnell says introducing female-form manikins is an important step towards helping New Zealanders feel more confident when responding to a woman in cardiac arrest.

"For many people, this may be the first time they have practised CPR and AED use on a female-form manikin. Most people train on male manikins, so there can be uncertainty when faced with a woman experiencing cardiac arrest.

"These manikins help address that gap by increasing familiarity and confidence. We want people to focus on saving a life, not hesitate because they're unsure what to do."

While the initiative is focused on addressing inequities for women experiencing cardiac arrest, the manikins also help make training more realistic by allowing people to practise CPR and AED placement on manikins with breasts and increasing confidence when responding to different body types.

MAS Chief Distribution and Marketing Officer Matt Marvey says supporting the pilot was an easy decision.

"CPR training should reflect the people it may be needed for. We’re proud to donate these female-form manikins to Hato Hone St John, helping more New Zealanders build the confidence to perform CPR on women and improve their chances of surviving a cardiac arrest.”

Hato Hone St John hopes the pilot will help build greater confidence across the country and, over time, expand the number of female-form manikins available through its 3 Step for Life programme.

"Ultimately, cardiac arrest doesn't discriminate, and neither should our training. If introducing female-form manikins helps even one more person feel confident enough to act, it could help save a life," says Miss Tatnell.