Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

Hands only CPR?

Maisie

Maisie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 30, 2006
Messages
12,598
That's the same recommendation now in Ontario - just did my recert in December. The rationale being that pumping the blood is better than nothing....
 
I wonder if trying to do the breathing and pumping is confusing or stressful to someone trying to give first aid. Best to do one thing properly than maybe mess up trying to do both.
 
They have been mulling this over for a long time...
There are a few reasons, you are not really adding significant oxygen into the blood by doing resps, it's best to keeping pumping the already oxygenated blood through the body with steady compressions.
Many first responders use a song to keep rhythm, sounds morbid but "Another one bites the dust" is perfect.
Also, most people are not going to put their mouths on a strangers mouth. I keep a one-way valved CPR pocket mask in my purse at all times because the reality is that the patient usually vomits.

I wish they'd teach CPR in all High Schools, I think it's really important for everyone to know and I know it's only taught in a few.
 
Those recs are here in the USA too. There are several reasons. By the way, what I am about to write applies to adults. Kids are different in many situations, although there are times when hands only CPR is used on them as well. There have been several issues with the old way of CPR, which the airway, and breathing came before circulation (ABC). Both lay people and health care professions were spending too much time focusing on A and B without focusing on C. The problem is that if the oxygen does not circulate, it is not effective. Most adults arrest because of a cardiac issue, so what they need is to have their blood circulated for them. Also, lots of people don't like to do "mouth to mouth" If you can convince them to do chest compressions, at least the victim gets some CPR. From what I remember, if a victim gets properly executed chest compressions, the outcomes are better.

In the health care setting (so if I were to do CPR on someone), we still do ventilations. But the new order is CAB. We check a pulse first, and do compressions before assessing the airway and determining if rescue breaths are needed.

Hope this is not too confusing!
 
I took a CPR class a few years back, at a firestation, and was taught the hands-only version. I don't remember all the details except the instuctor said that it works just as well and the mouth-to-mouth is really gross and people who are being revived throw up.
 
Enerchi|1326049053|3097993 said:
That's the same recommendation now in Ontario - just did my recert in December. The rationale being that pumping the blood is better than nothing....
Click to expand...

I'm in Ontario as well and while they still had us practice breathing when I recertified in 2010, they said there was a shift to hands only and the course would be changing in the near future. They had the same rational; that circulating the blood is more important.
 
On top of all that, there are studies showing that interruptions in chest compressions are associated with higher mortality.

You know what's really cool? They have automatic CPR machines that basically consist of a piston connected to an arch that is placed over the chest and attached with a suction cup. These machines deliver very high-quality chest compressions without the human element of fatigue and free up people to concentrate on other aspects of the patient's care. We had them in the ER where I worked for 2 years, and they were really effective.
 
I love that commercial! I can't remember the song that the British Heart Foundation recommended to do it to. Whatever the case, it's a catchy advert.

I don't like the thought of putting my mouth to a strangers so I'm more likely to do this than old school CPR.
 
Yeah, the new recommendations for compression-only CPR are for adults only - pediatric CPR is still breaths and compressions. A lot less confusing.

The compression rate is 100 beats/min. Best songs - "Stayin' Alive" or "Another One Bites the Dust."
 
wildcat03|1326068535|3098184 said:
Yeah, the new recommendations for compression-only CPR are for adults only - pediatric CPR is still breaths and compressions. A lot less confusing.

The compression rate is 100 beats/min. Best songs - "Stayin' Alive" or "Another One Bites the Dust."
Click to expand...

When I was a first responder, we said it was "Stayin' Alive".... seems like a much more optimistic choice for CPR than "Another One Bites the Dust"!!!
 
That's what it was in our adverts! Stayin' Alive!
 
Thanks for the tip, re 'another one bites the dust'/stayin alive'!! I have often wondered what the correct reps would be.
I have been to a St Johns update course...but went into labor during the event, so it was all in one ear and out the other! :wacko:
Yes, the recs have changed to 'breath-free' over here, as well.
Whatever makes it easier for people to do, is alright by me (if still effective)
I cannot believe they don't show CPR on tv...imagine the attitude shifts if every soapie star character was given CPR when they keeled over on tele programmes! :bigsmile:
 
"Another one Bites the Dust"? Oh, that's bad. :nono: :bigsmile:

Actually I always wondered about the breathing part, because we inhale Oxygen but exhale CO2.
Blowing my CO2 into the victim's lungs is not going to help anyone.
 
kenny|1326124683|3098480 said:
"Another one Bites the Dust"? Oh, that's bad. :nono: :bigsmile:

Actually I always wondered about the breathing part, because we inhale Oxygen but exhale CO2.
Blowing my CO2 into the victim's lungs is not going to help anyone.
Click to expand...

I think we breathe out some oxygen don't we?
 
I'd guess it is a mix, and apparently that mix did more good than harm, but perhaps the CO2 component contributed to this new Hands-only thing.

I'm just guessing.
 
I always wondered that too, Kenny.
 
I have heard of the new recommendations too, from what I heard is the #1 thing keeping the person alive and also brain function is the chest compressions. Most people don't do or remember the cpr pattern correctly so the outcome was people simply receiving less effective/frequent compressions. That's why they are simplifying it. I went through the training many moons ago, have not been recertified but thank goodness never been in a situation where I've needed to use it.
 
Mr. Tuffy is a firefighter, and they are told that chest compressions are most important because the chest compressions are what keeps the blood circulating to the brain and other vital organs. Additionally, when you blow air into someones mouth, half the time it ends up in their stomach which can cause a person to vomit and aspirate. also, mouth to mouth is icky, but I don't know if there is scientific evidence to back that up ;)
 
My Fiance (a nurse) says that the chest compressions cause slight air movement in and out of the lungs which does circulate some fresh oxygen.

Unless you have a pocket mask, it's safer not to do mouth-to mouth if you don't know the victim's health history. You could catch something!

I just took first aid again last month, and we were taught not to check for a pulse, because it's a waste of time if the person's not breathing. Just go right into chest compressions!
 
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top