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Breathing and Cardiac Emergency Video Resources and Notes
In making the videos below, I learned that I often close my eyes when thinking of how to best articulate thoughts running through my mind and/or visualizing for myself what I'd like you to know or see. Please don't laugh at me. :) I made these to be a resource to support you and victims that you might encounter in the future.
Primary Survey
Additional thoughts that I wish I had included in the video above and answers to FAQ:
Rescue Breathing
- Your handout mentions that consent is required to provide care except for an unconscious adult. If you come across an unconscious child or infant in a public place, you owe that child's parents the courtesy of trying to seek consent to help their child. (Example: Shouting at the top of your lungs "May I help this kid?!" and listening for a second for a parent to say "No!") However, consent is not required if a child has been placed in your care for daycare, school, sports practice, etc. In these cases consent is implied and you may immediately act in the best interest of the child.
- FAQ: What if you are alone and stumble across an unconscious victim. Do you take the time to call 911? Get the AED? Just start Primary Survey and appropriate care? Answer: You have to trust your gut on that one. If you're in a place where someone will stumble upon you soon, I'd just start providing care - prolonging the life and health of their brain - and pray someone comes along soon to support. This might not be the best choice, though, if chances are slim someone would find you, if the victim has urgent medical needs in addition to their breathing/cardiac emergency, etc.
- FAQ: When is a victim considered an infant vs. child body size? And child vs. adult? Answer: If you consider a victim an infant, you want to be able to provide "appropriate infant care" regardless of symptoms. If they happen to be choking, you'd need to hold them head down toward the floor and in one hand. If the baby is too large for you to do this, they should probably be considered a child. As for child vs. adult body size, most first responders draw this "line" at the puberty growth-spurt that happens sometime between 5th and 11th grade. If their body size looks more like a teacher than a student, consider them an adult and provide "appropriate adult care".
- FAQ: What if your rescue breaths do not go in, and the victim's chest does not rise? Answer: This is covered at the beginning of the Choking Victims (Adult and Child) video below. Retilt and try again. If the breaths still don't go in, they are probably choking.
Rescue Breathing
Additional thoughts that I wish I had included in the video above and answers to FAQ:
CPR
- Important: Sometimes (often times, actually) Rescue Breathing never happens. Rescue breathing is common around water, where drowning victims lose their ability to breathe while maintaining a strong heartbeat. If a victim has no signs of breathing or circulation during Primary Survey, skip this step and proceed immediately to CPR.
- FAQ: Since we learn Rescue Breathing, it must be possible for people to not be breathing but still have a heartbeat. Is the opposite true? Is it possible for people to be breathing but not have a heartbeat? Answer: No. If a victim has no pulse/signs of circulation, it is impossible for them to still be breathing.
- FAQ: What if I forget which breath number I'm about to give? Answer: Don't waste any time thinking or stressing about this. Instead, if you lose count, take a moment to re-check for signs of circulation. If they have a pulse, continue Rescue Breathing. If their pulse has stopped, move on to CPR.
- FAQ: Do I keep the victim's nose plugged between rescue breaths, while I'm counting? Do I keep their airway open the whole time? Answer: It doesn't matter either way. Do what feels comfortable and natural. Unless a (real human) victim is on an incredibly slippery floor, their airway will probably stay open on its own. The manikins' heads "bounce back" immediately as a reminder of the first step of "ABC".
CPR
Additional thoughts that I wish I had included in the video above and answers to FAQ:
- FAQ: Won't you break a ribs doing CPR compressions? Answer: Yup, probably! I guarantee your victim would rather have a broken rib or two over a dead brain, though.
- Analogy: Your sternum moves a lot like a diving board. The closer you are to the end, the bouncier it gets. This is why we want to be as close as possible...without being too close...to the fragile bone (Xiphoid Process) at the bottom, center of the rib cage.
- Another Analogy: CPR compressions work because your chest (thoracic cavity) is like a bag of groceries. If you compress the bag, the softest thing squishes and squeezes first. Heart muscle that isn't doing what it's supposed to be doing is like a loaf of soft bread in a bag of cans and boxes. Compression from the outside squeezes the heart muscle, causing the oxygen rich blood in the lungs to be pumped out to the brain.
- Important: This video suggests that you always begin CPR immediately following Primary Survey (no pulse/signs of circulation). You could also transition to CPR after one or many 2-minute cycles of Rescue Breathing. Remember to begin CPR any time that you check a victim's pulse and don't find one.
- FAQ: What are the chances that the victim's heart will restart with CPR alone? Answer: Not very good. An AED is usually the tool needed to restart their heart. The Red Cross includes rechecking for a pulse after every cycle (30 compressions, 2 rescue breaths) of CPR in an attempt to streamline the process and make it "user friendly" for first responders. I typically recheck for a pulse after the first cycle of CPR, to confirm that they didn't have a pulse to begin with, and then only stop to recheck every few cycles - when I need a few seconds to catch my breath.
- I'm always on the look out for a visual that does a good job explaining how the heart and longs work in tandem to provide the body with oxygen rich blood, and bring carbon dioxide back to the lungs to be exhaled. In case you are a "big picture" person (like me) and need to know how the pieces all fit together, the image below is currently my favorite:
Infants: Primary Survey, Rescue Breathing, and CPR
Choking Victims: Adults and Children, Unconscious and Conscious
Additional thoughts that I wish I had included in the video above and answers to FAQ:
- FAQ: What if a conscious choking victim is too obese for me to wrap my arms around them to do the Heimlich Maneuver? Answer: Have the victim lay down on the floor and do CPR compressions on their rib cage/sternum instead of applying pressure to their abdomen. Putting pressure on their lungs and forcing air out is the only way to dislodge the object that is standing in the way of their ability to breathe. Reassure the victim and try to stay calm, as this will be scary for the victim (remember, they are conscious).
- FAQ: What if a conscious or unconscious choking victim is pregnant? Do I still try the Heimlich Maneuver? Answer: No. As described above, do CPR compressions instead.
- The image below is probably a better instructional tool for Heimlich Maneuver on adults or children than my clumsy video with half of a manikin. :)
Choking Victims: Conscious and Unconscious Infants
The American Red Cross's AED Instructional Video
My "final assessment" for a CPR class is typically the following:
Choose the body size (adult, child, or infant) that you encounter most during your day, or that is the reason for you taking this course. On that body size:
- Talk all of the way through Primary Survey (they have a pulse),
- Complete a full 2-minute cycle of Rescue Breathing (when you recheck, they have no pulse),
- Complete 3 cycles of CPR.
Then, on the other two body sizes:
- Talk all of the way through Primary Survey (they have no pulse this time),
- Complete 3 cycles of CPR.
Last but not least, those planning to receive an American Red Cross certification card for participation in this course must click the green button at the top of this website and enter their participant information for the ARC paperwork.
First Aid Information
The slideshow below includes a wide variety of first aid information for your reference. Use the navigation buttons (to the right and left of the image) to switch from one slide to the next.
Also, consider using a QR code reader or the buttons at the bottom of this page to access the online videos related to concussions and allergic reactions/Epi-Pen administration.
Also, consider using a QR code reader or the buttons at the bottom of this page to access the online videos related to concussions and allergic reactions/Epi-Pen administration.
concussion_educ_materials__acknowl_form_2013.pdf | |
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