AHA: Compressions Only for Witnessed Arrests

[DwayneEMTP]

Cool Matty...thanks for that.

Now I need to go back and read the whole page..

Dwayne

[AnthonyM83]

Okay, I went back to find out more about this. Here's the actual change.

AHA has NOT caught up with (OR just disagrees and thinks more non meta-(retractive) studies are needed about) straight compressions leading to better survival.

All it's saying is that now Healthcare Providers are allowed to do civilian CPR (compressions only, no ventilations) when off-duty. This would encourage more off-duty providers to become involved and to prevent legal action against them for failing to do "correct" CPR as they were taught in their BLS for Healthcare Providers class.

At least that's what our AHA liaison told us. Anyone else gotten word from them? I gotta research their official stance myself, I think.

[vs-eh?]

All it's saying is that now Healthcare Providers are allowed to do civilian CPR (compressions only, no ventilations) when off-duty. This would encourage more off-duty providers to become involved and to prevent legal action against them for failing to do "correct" CPR as they were taught in their BLS for Healthcare Providers class.

Allowed to do?

Generally speaking, no health care professional is going to do AR on your classic "I saw this random guy collapse in the street, I'm a doctor/nurse/paramedic/hard core civilian" type deal.

Nobody...

So the thinking was that HCP are going to back off on this rare scenario because they can't do "vents" on a patient? It is vastly easier to do proper CPR on a patient without any equipment (obviously) than to properly manage an airway and ventilate a patient.

How or who exactly is critiquing this off-duty HCP CPR that it somehow would have made a factor in this persons survival? They should be lucky that a person stepped up.

Legal action? Total BS, it's impossible.

[Dustdevil]

Generally speaking, no health care professional is going to do AR on your classic "I saw this random guy collapse in the street, I'm a doctor/nurse/paramedic/hard core civilian" type deal.

Nobody...

I have, and still will. If she's really, really hott, of course. I'm picky like that.

[AnthonyM83]

What I gathered from our AHA liaison is that yes it's legally protecting the Healthcare Provider, because if they only did compressions it would technically be going against their training. It would be doing "faulty" CPR and some whacked family could try to sue saying that reason they didn't make it might be improper CPR.

I think it's just covering their bases and putting their cards in order. It's saying they acknowledge that scenario and that it's okay to just do compressions.

Also, a lot of HCP (think of ones who just do it as a job, but don't really care that much or do advanced thinking about doing only compressions) might realistically (very realistically) not step up to help b/c they don't want to lock lips with a dirty stranger.

[tniuqs]

According to the the regs we deal with up here;

2005 CPR and AED Gidelines the LAY vs Professional Rescuers.

The theory here is that teaching Lay persons that more idividuals will actually "TRY" doing at the very "least" compressions.

So do you a lay person when your not getting paid ?

I'm with Dust:

I have, and still will. If she's really, really hott, of course. I'm picky like that.

vs_eh : If the OPALs (bs studies) continue then this could really help the ACP to go back to the Funeral/Ambulance driver dark ages.

[DwayneEMTP]

So do you [s:f0cdd654a9]a[/s:f0cdd654a9] lay person when your not getting paid ?

That depends on whether or not the rent's due..But generally I'd say yes... :wink:

Dwayne

[Medic5754]

Since the AHA recommends Hands-Only CPR for laypersons unwilling or unable to perform conventional CPR, we currently discussed the following regarding some HCP:

Geriatric Nurses in my country (Germany) are not as highly trained like other healthcare professionals (RN, EMT) and often face themselves with cardiac arrests as a rare and sudden emergency. Most of them had their last - and far too often only - CPR training while attending geriatric nursing school. And sadly it could now be their last for the next years. So they are very often not that skilled persons as they are expected to be.

Same is with daycare assistants at the homes and workplaces for the physically and mentally disabled.

What we question is:

Should we handle these professions like highly skilled healthcare professionals and teach them only conventional CPR (as recommended by the European Resuscitation Council), or shall we teach them Hands-Only CPR (as an option) like laypersons?

During my own 20+ years in EMS experiences with cardiac arrests in geriatric homes showed that only a very low percentage of the geriatric nurses are able and willing to perform CPR. And that breathing was their main problem (too much air inflated, too high breathing pressure, air in stomach, etc.).

How would you handle these people in training? Where would be your main focus in taching CPR?

Remember that this could be their only CPR training for years.

[itku2er]

How would you handle these people in training? Where would be your main focus in taching CPR?

Remember that this could be their only CPR training for years.

You don't have to renew your CPR over there every two years? How do you all keep up with the changes?

[Medic5754]

EMTs renew usually once per year. Depends on the agency they work for.

But no, there is only an advise to renew CPR and BFA every two years. So it depends on the HCP him-/herself and their employer if they renew it.

Ironically it seems as if many people keep up with "changes" by watching Grey´s Anatomy, ER and Dr. House. And if they fail in providing care and get sued they rely on what they have learned from Boston Legal and Private Practice.