New Rescue Procedures?

[H2Andy]

a while back, we had a thread on the "chest compression and mouth-to-mouth" vs. "chest compression only" CPR methods... i can't find it at the moment...

at any rate, the trend lately has been to move to a chest-compression only
model, and now it's gone mainstream:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20051129/ts_usatoday/lifesavingmovecprmadeeasier

from the article:

The most common reason many people die is because no one nearby knew CPR, or if they did know it, they didn't actually do it," says Michael Sayre of Ohio State University in Columbus, one of the authors of the new guidelines.


Now it's simple: Call for help. Push the chest. Don't stop.


Two rescue breaths can be given after every 30 compressions, but mouth-to-mouth is optional.


"Some CPR is better than no CPR," says Robert O'Connor of Christiana Care Health System in Newark, another guideline author. Until emergency medical responders arrive, chest compressions alone can often be just as effective in saving a life, he says.


so does this mean that "no mouth-to-mouth" is a dumbing down of the process,
and that mouth-to-mouth is really better, if done properly?

so what should one do?

and in an in-water (surface) CPR situation, where you can't really do chest compressions, i guess this changes nothing.

so.... i guess that's my question... does this change anything for CPR trained
Rescue divers?

 

[AndrewK2]

I was just in a CPR course this past weekend, and I learned it as 15 compressions/2 breaths. My question is how is the heart and body supposed to get oxygen without air being introduced into the lungs? I think it's still necessary, how often is what's debatable.

 

[gcbryan]

I read the report earlier and it's just that it takes awhile to get the blood pressure back up and moving so faster and harder compressions does more for the body in keeping blood moving through the body and brain especially until medical personnel arrive.

I doesn't hurt to do the mouth to mouth but do it less often since to do so will stop the chest compressions.

That's what I got from it.

 

[garyfotodiver]

Perhaps the reason many persons do not get involved is the lack of reasonable "Good Samaritan" laws in parts of the US. Liability is a big issue these days.

I am trained in CPR, but I would hesitate if I was in an unfamiliar (with the laws) area of the country.

 

[adurso]

There are several problems with CPR in general from an EMS viewpoint. The first is that compressing someone's chest while they still have a pulse creates issues...this happens far more frequently than one may think, due to excitement on the part of the rescuer who may or may not have taken the time to determine if a pulse is present. The second is that compressions are not done properly by many people and adequate blood flow is not ensured, this is in line with the reasoning Andy gave, more compressions less breath. The lack of response from passers-by is a good reason for automated AEDs in public places.

 

[fire_diver]

I think the main reason they have changed it is to get the general public to do SOMETHING. Now days, most people would walk away rather than put mouth to mouth on a stranger (and I dont blame them one bit). So chest compressions only is better than nothing. But yes, 15/2 is what is still being taught.

Only problem with CPR is that most people dont do it right. They fail to properly check for a pulse before starting, then they're compressions are no where near deep enough. Nothing like feeling sternal ribs crunching under your palm! (and yes, this SHOULD happen with proper commpressions).

fire_diver (and EMT)

 

[Blueskys4ever]

I would recommend that everyone should read DAN O2 and take the class. This is an excellent book that explains everything that you should do and why. Without this education, it is just a stab in the dark.

 

[Deep Lake]

At my last first aid / cpr class they told us about a study being done in California (I think it was California) where rescues were being done with the compression only system and the survival statistics were going to be compared to the breath with compression system. The study must have been favorable or they would not have made this change in policy.

 

[radinator]

Perhaps the reason many persons do not get involved is the lack of reasonable "Good Samaritan" laws in parts of the US. Liability is a big issue these days.

I am trained in CPR, but I would hesitate if I was in an unfamiliar (with the laws) area of the country.

I think all states have a version of the Good Samaritan laws on their books. On the other hand, some states have laws which make it a punishable offence to NOT render aid, so maybe you should rethink this.

 

[Sea-Diver]

I just saw a program on the news about compression only...