Providing CPR in a Healthcare Setting

PROVIDING CPR IN A HEALTHCARE SETTING

First aid can be defined as the temporary and immediate care given to a person who is injured or who suddenly becomes ill. First aid includes being able to recognize life-threatening conditions and take effective action to keep the injured or ill person alive and in the best possible condition until medical treatment can be obtained. Therefore, one of the most important jobs of a First Aider is to supply basic life support, which includes artificial ventilation and circulation. This is obviously of critical importance in a healthcare setting where emergency situations are prevalent and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be required at any time. This is of special interest to me because I am preparing to enter the healthcare field.

Cardiac arrest is a substantial public health problem, and a leading cause of death in the country. Cardiac arrest may occur in or out of the hospital. In the United States, approximately 350,000 people every year have a cardiac arrest and receive CPR, approximately half of which occur in a hospital setting. However, CPR alone is unlikely to restart the heart. Its main purpose is to restore partial flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and heart. The objective is to delay tissue death and extend the brief window of opportunity for a successful resuscitation without permanent brain damage. Administration of an electric shock to the subject’s heart, known as defibrillation, is usually needed in order to restore a viable, or “perfusing”, heart rhythm.

The Mayo Clinic provides the following advice from the American Heart Association:

• If you are not trained in CPR, then provide hands-only CPR. That means uninterrupted chest compressions of ab...

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...h in and out of the hospital. The new 2010 American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR continue to emphasize the need for high-quality CPR. It is especially important to understand the roles in a multiple-rescuer scenario, and how to use an AED.

Bibliography

1. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): First aid.” Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. 7 Feb. 2012. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.

2. “Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.” Wikipedia. 8 Mar. 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.

3. Butler, Janet. “BLS for Healthcare Providers.” American Heart Association. Mar. 2011.

4. Karren, Keith J., Brent Q. Hafen, Daniel Limmer, and Joseph J. Mistovich. “First Aid for Colleges and Universities.” Pearson Education. 2012