New Rescue Procedures?

[Tavi]

........[snip]....... Now days, most people would walk away rather than put mouth to mouth on a stranger (and I dont blame them one bit). .......[snip.........

fire_diver (and EMT)

My wife and I carry masks (the ones with the one-way valve) in the gloveboxes of our vehicles just for this reason. Guess I ought to get one for the save a dive kit too. My glove box is a long way off when I'm on a boat!!

 

[pipefish]

From what I read in the paper today, the recommended change in guidelines is......
30 compressions followed by 2 slow rescue breaths. I haven't heard of the "compression only philosophy" Anybody have a link so I could take a gander?

PF :14:

 

[String]

The 15:2 has been changed by the UK authorities this week to 30:2.

More details here:

http://www.resus.org.uk/pages/bls.pdf

 

[novicediver]

I do not have the New England Journal article with me otherwise I would cite it. The reasoning behind the change is this.. your blood has residual oxygen in it that is sufficient to keep the brain alive as long as blood is being pumped to the brain. Giving rescue breaths does little to nothing in a pulseless patient unless the blood is being circulated to your brain. Also CPR is only a stop gap until definitive care can be administered. In most cardiac arrest cases, definitive care means defibrillation and anti arrythmetic drugs. CPR alone will generally not be sufficient in most cases to revive someone. I have not taken the scuba rescue course but I can say with some confidence that performing CPR in the water is an exercise in futility and that compressions will most likely be inadequate. As an aside, I am certified as a paramedic and in ACLS, as well as PALS so I am fairly up to date on medical protocols.

 

[garyfotodiver]

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.

That's the point; the laws are not uniform. The only place when I am obligated to do CPR is on company time, when my employer has paid for the training with the agreement that I am part of the Emergency Team (or whatever it is called.)

 

[Jim Ernst]

I do not have the New England Journal article with me otherwise I would cite it. The reasoning behind the change is this.. your blood has residual oxygen in it that is sufficient to keep the brain alive as long as blood is being pumped to the brain. Giving rescue breaths does little to nothing in a pulseless patient unless the blood is being circulated to your brain. Also CPR is only a stop gap until definitive care can be administered. In most cardiac arrest cases, definitive care means defibrillation and anti arrythmetic drugs. CPR alone will generally not be sufficient in most cases to revive someone. I have not taken the scuba rescue course but I can say with some confidence that performing CPR in the water is an exercise in futility and that compressions will most likely be inadequate. As an aside, I am certified as a paramedic and in ACLS, as well as PALS so I am fairly up to date on medical protocols.

yes you are correct on the chest commpesions in the water, but in the rescue class you are taught to not try chest compresions in the water only rescue breathes untill you reach the shore, as you say it would be futile, as an emt i also found the rescue class interesting!!!

 

[H2Andy]

I haven't heard of the "compression only philosophy" Anybody have a link so I could take a gander?

yeah... that would be the link on post number one on this thread:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/200...ecprmadeeasier

 

[H2Andy]

i guess my question (not asked too well) was... assuming a trained person
performing the rescue, and doing things as they are supposed to be done,
which is best for the patient?

1. 15 compressions followed by 2 breaths

2. 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths

3. continous compressions without breaths

 

[D_B]

Although my training was 15/2 , I'm going to go with the 30/2 because of the reasons stated ... It's more important to circulate the blood that has some O2 in it, than to add more O2
I think chest compressions not being that efficient in getting the heart pumping the blood, It's better to concentrate on them

DB

 

[novicediver]

In my case as a professional rescuer, it is continuous compressions and ventilations (albeit the pt has been intubated).