Bielefeld hospital sets potential 168-hour resuscitation world record

A potential new world record for continuous resuscitation has been set in Bielefeld, Germany. For 168 hours, students, clubs, and citizens performed uninterrupted chest compressions on a medical mannequin at the Franziskus Hospital.

The event was part of a nationwide resuscitation week aimed at encouraging people to perform CPR immediately during emergencies, as every minute without intervention significantly reduces survival chances. While school groups participated during the day, medical teams and emergency services took over at night.

If confirmed by the Rekord-Institut für Deutschland, this feat would surpass the previous record of 128 hours set in Schwerin earlier this September. Initiator and Chief Physician Niels Rahe-Meyer emphasized the importance of the public being able to perform life-saving measures before emergency services arrive.