Monthly Archives: October 2020

6 Things to do Before Giving Child or Baby CPR

Child CPR

This info-graphic titled ‘6 Things to do Before Giving Child or Baby CPR’ provides us an overview of things to note before providing CPR to Children or Infants.CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a recognized emergency life-saving procedure that is done when someone’s breathing or heartbeat has halted. This may occur after an electric shock, heart attacks, or drowning.CPR blends rescue breathing and compressions for chest. Rescue breathing supplies oxygen to the person’s lungs while Chest compressions keep oxygen-rich blood flowing until the heartbeat and breathing are restored.
Permanent damages to brain or even death can occur within minutes if blood flow stops. Thus, it is important that blood flow and breathing be continued until qualified medical help arrives. Emergency operators available on 911 can guide you through the process.CPR techniques vary hugely depending on the age or size of the person. There are different techniques for adults and children who have reached puberty, and babies less than 1 year of age. Some basic things to keep in mind while resuscitating infants are enlisted down. For more information, please refer to the info-graphic below.

 

Basics of AED training

AED Training

AED, also known as Automated External Defibrillator, is a lightweight device to provide an electric shock to the heart through the chest. The device is used to control arrhythmia or irregularities in the heartbeat.

As per the reports, every year, 95 percent of deaths that occur due to cardiac arrest happen because the patients die before they are taken to the hospital. However, in certain situations, AEDs can act as life saviours, addressing heart-related medical emergencies well. The device is quite useful to address medical emergencies and can be used by non-medical people too.

How AEDs function?
An in-built computer checks the rhythm of the patient’s heart using adhesive electrodes and decides whether defibrillation is required. The machine immediately signals the rescuer to press the AED’s shock button. Due to the shock, the heart stops for a moment and gives it a chance to perform effectively.

Where the AEDs are required?
The device must find a place in the ambulances, emergency vehicles, fire engines, educational institutes, office areas, and public areas (like hotels, shopping malls, airports, convention centers, etc.) The device must be placed where people with a high risk of strokes live and public or private spaces where people usually gather.

How to avail of AED training?
The American Heart Association (AHA) offers several First-aid and CPR training through the training centers. You can call the nearest AHA branch to locate a center near you. AED training is important because, with this training, you can save someone. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, using AED during cardiac arrest can increase the chance of survival by 60 percent. The situation would improve drastically when CPR is provided within 5-7 minutes of cardiac arrest, along with the use of AED.

If there are more people in a community to address heart-related medical emergencies, it would help increase cardiac arrest survival or stroke survival rates.

EMSA training guidelines to follow

EMSA Training

EMSA (Emergency Medical Services Authority) has been formed to set the training standards and medical emergency practice scope. The EMS Authority is also responsible to promote, support, and co-ordinate disaster medical arrangements. Many training programs have been designed under EMSA, but one of the major training programs developed by the authority is to address pediatric emergencies.

EMSA certified training is quite vital for healthcare professionals who’re working for child care. This training is designed to handle infant and kid-related medical emergencies. Once you complete a 7-hour course, you’ll be awarded EMSA stickers, and upon completing an 8-hours course, you’ll get the certification card.

After this training, the medical professionals (or whosoever takes up the training) would be able to administer CPR or first aid to a kid in a sudden medical condition.

EMSA training: guidelines to follow-
1. Renewal of training
Every 2 years, the training and certification must be renewed by the EMSA certified child health care professionals.

2. EMSA standards must be followed
The training programs conducted must adhere to the standards and rules of EMSA.

3. Instructors must follow EMSA standards
The instructors must follow EMSA training standards.

4. The training must provide an 8-hour CPR and first aid course
The EMSA training must provide an 8-hour course in CPR and first aid for the kids.

EMSA certified training: a great career move
If you are a healthcare professional, taking up an EMSA certified training can be a great career move, as pediatric emergencies carry more weight than any other emergency medical training program. So if you’re looking for an EMSA training, search online and enquire about the course well. A certified CPR and first aid training in pediatric discipline can help save a kid’s life.

Why AHA certified training is valuable?

AHA Training

The American Heart Association (AHA) is a non-profit health organization that informs and educates Americans on how to treat and prevent heart problems. AHA training can be quite helpful for medical emergencies and can save many lives.

Why AHA certified training is necessary?
1. Adding credentials
AHA certified training and certifications are necessary for career progression. Your core competencies would be recognized by your organization and can help add to your skills.

2. Promotions
An AHA certified training and certification can help you get promotions at the workplace, and chances are higher that you get a promotion early.

3. Better technical knowledge on life-saving
You can help people in need with your technical knowledge. Moreover, you’ll be able to learn how emergency patients are being treated by doctors and hospital staff.

Who can take up the training?
Well, there’s no specific age or professional restriction for the training, but the healthcare providers must receive AHA certified training. Here’s a list of people who must undergo the training-
Nursing staffs
General Physicians
Paramedical staffs
Emergency medical service providers
Respiratory, occupational, and physical therapists
Nursing assistants
Nursing or medical students/interns
Other allied healthcare service providers
Police officers

Anyone who wishes to become an AHA certified instructor can do so and help medical emergency victims by conducting basic life-saving skills training and sharing their primary life-saving knowledge. As an instructor, you can visit schools and other educational institutes and provide basic training on CPR and first-aid. You can also address an organization or a community on how to provide CPR and take care of cardiovascular health. So make sure to get an AHA training early!

Step-by-step procedure to administer CPR

Pediatric CPR

Imagine you had to address a cardiac emergency, what would you do?
Well, if you have completed CPR and First Aid Training, it can help save someone’s life.

Several institutes provide CPR training and certifications, but it is often difficult to remember every step and administer it properly when required.

Here’s a quick guide on how to perform CPR and help someone during an emergency situation-

Check the location
Check the location and the person. Make sure that you (and the victim) are in a safe position, without any danger of getting hurt. Ask the person if s/he is all-right and needs any help from you.

Ask someone to assist
If there’s any bystander nearby, you can ask him/her to assist you in saving the person. You can also call 911 for help. Start performing CPR without delay.

Make the person lay on his/her back
Make sure to keep the airway open. Make him/her lay on his/her back and turn the head a little so that you can lift his/her chin.

Check the breathing sounds
Listen to the breathing sounds carefully for 10 seconds. If there’s irregular or no breathing sounds, start CPR.

Push hard on the chest
Place your hands in the middle of the chest area and push hard. Push and relax, repeat. Make sure to push 100 times per minute and at least 2 inches deep on the chest area.

Give rescue breaths
While keeping the head of the person in a tilted position, lift the chin, close the nostrils by pinching the nose and put your mouth on the person’s mouth. Blow air so that the chest fills with air. Perform the activity twice, and repeat the pushes on the chest.

CPR and First Aid Training are considered life-saving skills, and a person who learns them can assist someone in need and save his/her life!