Off topic post... CPR

[IllianaLancerContra]

20 minutes ago, Cainan said:

Unfortunately, I was informed by the gentlemans son that he passed peacefully yesterday with his 5 kids at his side. He thanked us for not allowing his dad to die alone on the floor of the town market, but rather with his family by his side.

I had very mixed emotions when I heard the news. Naturally I thought "could we have done more?" and then I realised how daft that thought was. We kept him going enough for the paramedics to intervene. The paramedics (there were 4 of them btw) showed up with all of their training, their equipment and their meds and it took THEM a half hour to stabilise him enough just to transport him to the ambulance. Once in the ambulance, he arrested twice more. They managed to get the man to the cardiac specialist hospital in Liverpool where with a wealth of cardiac doctors and untold amounts of equipment and technology even they couldn't stave off the inevitable. I suppose when it's your time it's your time.

I spoke with one of the paramedics that was on scene and he said the guy was gone before he hit the floor and that in no uncertain terms, we saved his life. His family got to say a proper goodbye because of everyones intervention and I can live at peace with that.

Would I do it again if the situation presented itself? Absolutely. Would I have done anything differently? No.

The sad reality of CPR is that (according to American Heart Association) the success rate for out-of-hospital is less than 10%.  The TV scenes where the patient walks out of hospital 2 days later just aren’t true. 
 

However, survival rates of CPR begun in-hospital (better training & more medical interventions available) is higher. 
 

Still, 10% survival is better than 0% without CPR. 

[Terri Schehr]

42 minutes ago, keystone3ply said:

I'm no expert, but I think it's suppose to correct any kind of irregular heartbeat back to normal and/or restart the heart.  (Cardiac Arrest = heart stops) If there's no heartbeat, it tell you to start or resume CPR.  Here's a link the the Red Cross info on the AED.  (I just pray I never have to use one.)

https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/aed/using-an-aed/what-is-aed  

The reason I asked was that I had an AFIB episode 2 1/2 years ago when we were moving. No AED used but they did keep me overnight and got it back to normal with something in an IV. I’m still here. I’m sure some people on here are sorry about that. I quit drinking alcohol. My only vice now is coffee. Is that a vice? 😂 
I haven’t had an event since. I had a loop recorder inserted in June to see if I can get off the blood thinner.  

[IllianaLancerContra]

51 minutes ago, Terri Schehr said:

The reason I asked was that I had an AFIB episode 2 1/2 years ago when we were moving. No AED used but they did keep me overnight and got it back to normal with something in an IV. I’m still here. I’m sure some people on here are sorry about that. I quit drinking alcohol. My only vice now is coffee. Is that a vice? 😂 
I haven’t had an event since. I had a loop recorder inserted in June to see if I can get off the blood thinner.  

I will go on the record as being glad you are still here (both on Earth Planet as well as Drum Corps Planet).  

[keystone3ply]

47 minutes ago, Terri Schehr said:

The reason I asked was that I had an AFIB episode 2 1/2 years ago when we were moving. No AED used but they did keep me overnight and got it back to normal with something in an IV. I’m still here. I’m sure some people on here are sorry about that. I quit drinking alcohol. My only vice now is coffee. Is that a vice? 😂 
I haven’t had an event since. I had a loop recorder inserted in June to see if I can get off the blood thinner.  

They've always told us at training that you can't hurt anyone using the AED.  (Easy for them to say...) But I think it basically evaluates what the patient needs, delivers shock if needed, then will tell you to start chest compressions. (Something like that; I'm due for upgraded training.)

Just had my wellness clinic at school & my BP was little on the high side. I asked the nurse if a pot of coffee would cause it to run high.  She gave me that look & said, ahh, yes...

Here's a short & simple "British" AED instruction video:

 

  

[keystone3ply]

1 hour ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

The sad reality of CPR is that (according to American Heart Association) the success rate for out-of-hospital is less than 10%.  The TV scenes where the patient walks out of hospital 2 days later just aren’t true. 
 

However, survival rates of CPR begun in-hospital (better training & more medical interventions available) is higher. 
 

Still, 10% survival is better than 0% without CPR. 

My basic health training comes from watching "Emergency" with Squad 51.  Rampart Base always advised start an IV with D5W & Ringers Lactate; transport as soon as possible.  Lots of info on that show. ⚕️  

[IllianaLancerContra]

4 minutes ago, keystone3ply said:

My basic health training comes from watching "Emergency" with Squad 51.  Rampart Base always advised start an IV with D5W & Ringers Lactate; transport as soon as possible.  Lots of info on that show. ⚕️  

Don’t forget the MS (morphine sulfate) IV 😎

[keystone3ply]

4 minutes ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

Don’t forget the MS (morphine sulfate) IV 😎

Or just start an IV with WD-40? 🤭

[KVG_DC]

2 hours ago, Cainan said:

Unfortunately, I was informed by the gentlemans son that he passed peacefully yesterday with his 5 kids at his side. He thanked us for not allowing his dad to die alone on the floor of the town market, but rather with his family by his side.

I had very mixed emotions when I heard the news. Naturally I thought "could we have done more?" and then I realised how daft that thought was. We kept him going enough for the paramedics to intervene. The paramedics (there were 4 of them btw) showed up with all of their training, their equipment and their meds and it took THEM a half hour to stabilise him enough just to transport him to the ambulance. Once in the ambulance, he arrested twice more. They managed to get the man to the cardiac specialist hospital in Liverpool where with a wealth of cardiac doctors and untold amounts of equipment and technology even they couldn't stave off the inevitable. I suppose when it's your time it's your time.

I spoke with one of the paramedics that was on scene and he said the guy was gone before he hit the floor and that in no uncertain terms, we saved his life. His family got to say a proper goodbye because of everyones intervention and I can live at peace with that.

Would I do it again if the situation presented itself? Absolutely. Would I have done anything differently? No.

Mixed feelings are natural.  You gave the family a gift to let them have goodbyes and some dignity to his passing.   My mom and dad had been trained in CPR at a church event and had to use it with a neighbor across the street from them at one point.  He too passed in the hospital a few days later but had the opportunity to do so after some goodbyes and somewhere other than in the midst of a crisis situation on their driveway.

The favor was somewhat returned years later with the residents of that house across the street after them performed CPR on my mom. She too passed a week later and although she hadn't regained consciousness, it gave us a chance to gather and say our goodbyes.  

I think about that often when I refresh my CPR training.

[CrownBariDad]

I had CPR training in the Navy. Wasn't required then, but the folks in the front office started a class. Prob need a refresher. 

[scheherazadesghost]

Required for my professional license with re-training required every two years. I really wish I'd done it earlier as a dance educator. Also included packing wounds, common emergencies and non-emergency first aid. Learned on my own what to do with those experiencing seizures, which was also covered. NM requires me to do this in-person to maintain my license, but online refreshers are better than nothing.

Find a course near you: https://atlas.heart.org/home