is it curtains for Nellie? A review of Rawlins, L., Woolard, M., Williams, J. and 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(112), b4707)

People frequently suggest singing Nellie the Elephant (Nellie) to help maintain good compression rates during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but is this practice evidence-based? This prospective randomized crossover trial included 130 people who had little or no previous experience of CPR. Having given participants a brief training in chest compression they were asked to perform three sequences, pre-randomized for order, of 1-minute per sequence of continuous chest compressions on a skill meter resuscitation manikin accompanied by: repeated choruses of Nellie (105 beats per minute); repeated choruses of That's the Way (I like it) (109 beats per minute); and to no music at all.