A wide range of manikins are available in the UK that will allow training and assessment of skill, knowledge, and understanding of all aspects of CPR. RLSS UK does not publish an ‘Approved List’. However, a number of basic criteria need to be met in order for a manikin to be considered suitable.

What do I need to know?

Resuscitation manikins should meet the following basic criteria:

• have human-like chest compliance
• be hygienic
• be able to demonstrate controlled opening of the airway
• be able to demonstrate the rising of the chest
• be able to simulate human-like exhalation.

Where you are unsure as to the general suitability of a manikin, you should confirm with the manufacturer that all the above can be met.

In addition, where child or infant CPR is to be taught, you should be aware that some manikins, whilst meeting all of the above, do not have a nasal orifice and you should ensure that candidates are able to satisfactorily demonstrate mouth-to-nose ventilation.

Manikins that are equipped with positive feedback devices may be used for both training and assessment. However, the results from the feedback device should not be used to determine the pass or fail of a candidate. 

Keeping manikins hygienic

In spite of ongoing concerns relating to communicable infectious diseases, resuscitation manikins are in widespread use throughout the world and there has been no case documented of the spread of these types of infection through their use for rescue breathing training.

However, it must be presumed that some infections, including COVID-19, may be spread through contact with manikins and some basic hygiene measures are necessary to minimise the likelihood of this occurring.

Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on cleaning and maintenance. Below are some points deemed to be good practice.

Participants with colds or similar symptoms or who have sores or broken skin around the mouth should not share manikin with others during training;

• where manikins have a detachable face piece and/or single use lung, RLSS UK recommends that one should be provided for each candidate;
• manikins with damaged facial areas should be discarded as infected matter is difficult to remove from the damaged areas;
• for all other manikins, cleaning using propriety disinfecting materials, should take place between each use by candidates;
• at the end of a training session and before storage, manikins should be cleaned in accordance with the manufacturer’s requirements and all used materials should be disposed of hygienically.