- Thread starter Captain Willard
- Start date
scary, but glad to see you recovered.....did a course back in primary school. I'm 47 so a refresher is needed!! Is the "recovery position" and checking the airway is clear still a thing?
These first-aid lessons should be given in all the schools of all the countries
It's not enough to do that in school, they should be mandatory every two years.
5 compressions to 1 breath? That's the old one I learned originally. It isn't bad to do that, just less optimal than today's ratio. We brought people back with the old one sometimes.
When a student, I took this very very seriously, because the ones who actually had to do the compressions etc was the lowest guys on the totem pole, which was us. Used ResusiAnne quite a bit, got the depth by practising, mastered the intubations, and learned to do intracardiac injections. And got my pushups up to 100 consecutive, so that I would not flag during a resus attempt.
But that was a lifetime ago.
Trying to get the secrets of life outta me eh? To tell what I know. I did not have a heart attack, I did not suffer a stroke. My heart just stopped between one beat and the next. Upon being awakened in the hospital "And wondering what am I doing here". I picked up exactly where I left off in my mind when I collapsed with a blank space in between.
The 4 minutes of cpr most likely stopped a stroke, brain damage or the inability to be revived at all.
I made a comment to my wife. Dead on tuesday, at home friday in time for dinner. Blas'e, crude, but damn well the truth.
The whole point for this thread.
By the good graces maybe it will spare some one else.
Last edited:
I never did it for a living it's always been a secondary skill set for me, one I've unfortunately used a lot though. I had to be very fit for my actual job so pushups were never an issue.
5 to 2 the second breath was added as they realized after doing CPR properly the exertion makes you breath out lots of CO2 in the first breath and the casualties full of it anyway. The first just gets that clear and the second is the one that actually has a benefit.
The biggest overall change is you can't ignore infection risk as much anymore. As there's more SDC's, antibiotic resistance and a massive increase in hospital infections (in the UK). The days of whacking an empty crisp packet over a big hole are long gone.
The actual numbers you use matter a lot less than just getting on with it.
Edit : lol I just Freudian slipped SDC for STD don't tell them.
Last edited:
Scarey! Glad you’re okay, and I bet that gave your family a hell of a shock.
A lot of workplaces can set up CPR courses so ask your HR departments to set one up. It’s one of those skills that you may never use, but it’s literally a life saver if you ever do.
Last point, we blokes never like to create a fuss but get your heart checked if you haven’t already. High blood pressure needs to get handled sooner not later. I’ve already lost too many people who didn’t go the doctor early enough.
Preaching over. Have a good weekend folks.
A lot of workplaces can set up CPR courses so ask your HR departments to set one up. It’s one of those skills that you may never use, but it’s literally a life saver if you ever do.
Last point, we blokes never like to create a fuss but get your heart checked if you haven’t already. High blood pressure needs to get handled sooner not later. I’ve already lost too many people who didn’t go the doctor early enough.
Preaching over. Have a good weekend folks.
Nowadays it's 30 to 2, but the trend goes to skip the artificial respiration completely as most people tend to either not do it anyways or do it wrong
(i.e. not keeping the rest closed while respirating).
You can get special CPR mouth barriers to keep infection risk as low as possible, get one for your keychain!
And always shout for help! You won't keep up with more than 2 or 3 minutes of CPR alone.
We had a traffic accident last year when we did CPR for over 45 minutes. You have to have several people then to take turns.
dayrth
Volunteer Moderator
Got one. On my keychain
Got one. On my keychain
I have a fold up one in my wallet.
The Heimlich maneuver is definitely one to know as well.
Yes, doing it without the respiration is what I have been taught the last time I've taken the course. I'd probably still do it in real life situation, though. Out of habit and if for nothing else then to periodically check whether the air has a clear way.
We're always told that the first responsibility of those giving first aid is to themselves.
Which is why if you don't have a mask, do not give mouth to mouth. "Stuff" often comes back from the victim into you, the mask stops the backflow.
Chest compression most important when a heart stops esp when no defib around, keeps some blood going to the brain.
Even with the defib, the machine tell you to perform chest compressions in between the jolts. Great little machines.
The only bad thing about defibs is having to stop people trying to activate the shock as they think it just fixes everything, it only works when the machine detects a need but that doesn't stop TV influenced bystanders from messing with the defib.
You can get resus masks that are (large) pocket sized and have a built in one way valve, I've one each in my car/house/outdoors kits. They are one use disposables so are easy to bum off the NHS.
Well this is an eyeopener for me. Never really had to do it with lay people before with a defib available- they are nowhere to be found in public in the Third World.
I couldn't afford one privately at the office either, or justify the expense (never needed it in 25 years work) as the Emergency services took all those cases straight to public hospitals. We did get an ECG though, which was the first one ever in the town.
Maybe I'll run a drill tonight at the private little ICU where I'm working. The non-med people like the guards and the cook always like those, and we'd need their hands if things go bad.
Nice to know that the Forum is well prepped (and better equipped - no disposable masks in the Tropics) than me.
Glad to hear you're back with us, CMDR.
Sometimes a CMDR simply disappears never to be heard from again, which for the demographics of ED and this community is a bit scary. Your wife sure sounds like a keeper
Sometimes a CMDR simply disappears never to be heard from again, which for the demographics of ED and this community is a bit scary. Your wife sure sounds like a keeper
Keeping bystanders physically off the equipment can be a full time job in itself especially "helpful" drunks and self identified "experts". Depends on the location I did some work in very deprived countries and people there just don't mess with you at all.
Bob Lighthouse
Banned
My state requires AEDs in many locations and has put in good Samaritan laws regarding their use.
Amazing little machines!