Category Archives: CPR

Posted in Roy on Rescue • AED • Child Emergencies

Can I Use Adult AED Pads on a Child or Infant?

Comments:4 Comments

Hello Rescue Fans!AEDPadplace

I received a question via email about using an adult AED on a pediatric patient if there were no pediatric AED pads available.  The quick answer?  Yes, you can.  Remember, many newer AED’s are now attenuated and will usually give as much electricity as needed to accomplish de-fibrillation.  If at all possible, use an AED with pediatric pads and place them correctly on the chest and back of the pediatric patient.  If no pediatric pads are available, place the adult size AED pads on the front center of chest and in the middle of the child’s back approximately between the shoulder blades to ensure most effective de-fibrillation even with adult AED.  In the end, when a person is suffering sudden cardiac arrest, the majority of the time, they are in a some form of de-fibrillatable rythm and an AED is of great benefit,  even if the size of the pads don’t match.  Ages for the child ranges between 1-8 or first signs of puberty, after that, treat as an adult and if under 1 year of age, treat as an infant.  There’s some question as to the effectiveness of de-fibrillation in infants under 1 year.  See the above links for more details regarding this subject.

I hope this helps.

Keep On Rescuing!

Posted in Roy on Rescue • Airway • Choking

Are Hot Dogs Dangerous?

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I received an email a couple of weeks ago by a well known television news show.  They asked if I could help them with the topic of choking and specifically on hot dogs.  I liked the idea and though they didn’t need the training I put together, I thought you all might benefit from it.  In producing this training, I found that kids choke 60% of the time on food!  Did you also know that of that 60%, 17% of the time it’s a hot dog?  I thought it would be helpful for you rescue fans so I thought I’d share it with you.  In this episode we discuss why kids choke on hot dogs, how kids choke on hot dogs, how to help prevent kids from choking and what to do if it happens.  Get summer safe by catching up on this latest episode of RoyonRescue right now!

Posted in Medical • Hormone Related • Illness • Roy on Rescue • Cardiac • Environmental • Poisoning

And For My Next Heart Attack, I’ll Take An Extra Dose Of Estrogen Please!

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SaladAn article found in this news provider wrote that higher levels of the hormone estrogen are associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death in men and women, a new study suggests.  Could there be something to this or should we just blow it off as another scare tactic?  Well, when we consider all of the different ways humans get exposed to estrogen in the form of xenoestrogens(pronounced: zeno-estrogen and are a type of xenohormone that imitates estrogen. They can be either synthetic or natural chemical compounds.), it becomes quite clear that we have a problem on our hands and the side effects are coming to roost.

How do we become exposed to these synthetic or foreign hormones?  Well sit back and take a look at this pretty comprehensive list provided by a site dedicated to endocrinology.

* Commercially-raised, non-organic meats such as beef, chicken, and pork
* Commercial dairy products including milk, butter, cheese, and ice cream – Use only organic products that do not contain bovine growth hormone
* Unfiltered water, including water you bathe in – Use reverse-osmosis filtered water such as Dazani or get your own filter
* Laundry detergent – Use white vinegar, baking soda, or tri-sodium phosphate (TSP)… According to some experts, avoid even the Seventh Generation and Eco brands
* Dryer sheets and fabric softeners – Use white vinegar is a marvelous natural fabric softener, no smell after it dries
* Avoid Primpro, DES, Premarin, Cimetidine (Tagamet), Marijuana, and Birth Control Pills.
* Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
* Progesterone creams made with paraben preservatives
* Soy
* Ground flaxseed – If you’re looking for the Omega-3 effect, use fish oil instead
* No sunflower oil, no safflower oil, no cottonseed oil, no canola oil – Use olive oil or grapeseed oil
* Avoid Tea tree oil (melaleuca) – I know, I love tea tree oil, this one is tough
* No lavendar oil
* Avoid coffee and caffeine
* Sage and rosemary
* Shampoos, lotions, soaps, cosmetics that contain paraben or phenoxyethanol – Almost all contain them, you have to look far and wide. Be diligent, you’re getting hundreds of times more exposure through your skin than through your diet. So far, I’ve found Kiss My Face brands to be okay.
* Shampoos that purposely include estrogen (these are shampoos that cater to the African-American market)
* Avoid reheating foods in plastic or styrofoam containers
* Avoid drinking out of plastic cups and containers
* Air fresheners that contain pthalates
* Avoid naturally occurring plant estrogens:

* Coffee
* Clover, red clover tea, alfalfa sprouts
* Sunflower seeds
* Queen Anne’s lace (wild carrot)
* Pomegranate – The Greeks used this plant as a contraceptive!
* Dates
* Fennel
* Licorice, red clover, yucca, hops (beer) and motherwort
* Bloodroot, ocotillo, mandrake, oregano, damiana, pennyroyal, verbena, nutmeg, tumeric, yucca, thyme, calamus rt., red clover, goldenseal, licorice, mistletoe, cumin, fennel, chamomile, cloves

* 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) (sunscreen lotions)
* butylated hydroxyanisole / BHA (food preservative)
* atrazine (weedkiller)
* bisphenol A (monomer for polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin; antioxidant in plasticizers)
* dieldrin (insecticide)
* DDT (insecticide)
* endosulfan (insecticide)
* erythrosine / FD&C Red No. 3
* heptachlor (insecticide)
* lindane / hexachlorocyclohexane (insecticide)
* methoxychlor (insecticide)
* nonylphenol and derivatives (industrial surfactants; emulsifiers for emulsion polymerization; laboratory detergents; pesticides)
* polychlorinated biphenyls / PCBs (in electrical oils, lubricants, adhesives, paints)
* parabens (lotions)
* phenosulfothiazine (a red dye)
* phthalates (plasticizers)
o DEHP (plasticizer for PVC)

(http://endojourney.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/a-list-of-xenoestrogens/)

When we think about some of the complications of high estrogen levels in either gender, including increased risk of hormone sensitive cancers, increased cardiac inflammation(http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/iub.48/pdf), blood clot risk increase, and men have the same with the addition of impotence and infertility.

I’m glad to see there are more studies confirming that we have an estrogen problem in society.  And along with this, we are going to see many more complications of disproportionate sex hormones and their effects.  etc.http://endojourney.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/a-list-of-xenoestrogens/

It looks like organic and natural living isn’t just for enthusiasts anymore.  It’s something we should all be more aware of and do our part to begin living a healthier and happier life.

Posted in Roy on Rescue • Airway • CPR for Providers • Asthma • Respiratory

What Do I Tell My Friend To Do If They Have An Asthma Attack?

Comments:4 Comments
This question came in via RoyOnRescue email.  They asked, what should I tell my friend to do if they have an asthma attack?
Here’s my answer.  I hope it helps.
asthmaHi S,

Asthma stinks!  But what’s worse is when we have an attack.  There’s no better treatment than management to prevent an attack.  Avoiding triggers, maintaining regular preventative medications and always having a rescue inhaler available that is not expired and not empty.  If a person is having signs of an attack, it’s never a bad idea to call 911 and then begin to treat the symptoms with their medications.  If the attack ends, becomes manageable and everything is fine, then the ambulance leaves and there’s no problem.  If the attack is persistent and the medications don’t work, one will never regret having called for EMS backup.   Remember,  you can always send them away, but we can never make up for lost time.

If a person is having trouble with their asthma(wheezes in or out or both, short of breath, tightness, having small attacks, more albuterol use than normal, has congestion or feels like their not able to move as much air(maybe they have a peakflow meter and it’s reading lower than normal) they should call their doctor.  Again, if they’re having an attack, call 911.  Don’t rely on home remedies and cold air.  Hope this helps.

Roy

Posted in Roy on Rescue • Weather Related • Environmental • Lightning Strikes • Burns • CPR for Instructors • CPR for Providers

Can A Person Be Struck By Lightning On A Porch?

Comments:2 Comments

In this episode, we take a look at what areas are safe to watch a thunderstorm from.  A question was asked about the safety of watching lightning from under a porch attached to a house.  They wondered if it was grounded just like the porch.  After researching a bit, I found that it is no more safe than being in a tent, a shed, or under a tree.  Take a look at this vlog and find out why it’s not safe to be outside when you hear the roar of thunder.

Posted in Roy on Rescue • CPR for Instructors • CPR for Providers

Fellow Workers Credited For Saving Co-Workers Life With CPR

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This video covers a story of how a person’s life is saved because others cared enough to try CPR. Watch this video and be encouraged that you never know when you may need to use CPR skills. If you want to learn CPR today, go to www.profirstaid.com and click on the training tab at the top of the site. Then watch the videos for free, and learn what to do in case of an emergency. It really can make a difference! It did in this person’s life.

Keep On Rescuing,
Roy

Posted in Roy on Rescue • CPR for Instructors • CPR for Providers

Nurse Doesn’t Give CPR To Elderly Resident, Did She Do Something Wrong?

Comments:

Hello Rescue Fans,

Today I was made aware of a story that is on fire with debate.  Should CPR have been given to the elderly person or not?  Should the RN be charged?  Should the family sue the “Nursing Home?”  actually independent living residence.  How does the blah blah blah association feel about this?  How does the National Board of Registered Nurses feel about this?  On and on and on!   What I can’t believe is why everyone is blaming a non medical facility, which has pre-aranged agreements with it’s residents that don’t want any CPR for calling 911 and then simply doing what the resident and the management agreed to do?  Okay, so there wasn’t an actual DNR(Do Not Resuscitate) which can lead to a lot of miscommunication and ambiguity…I give you that but come on, guilty of neglect?  Charged for not administering CPR?  I know what you’re thinking right now.  Roy has flipped his lid!  Here he is, the RoyOnRescue host that is always talking about how we should get involved in order to try and save a life and now he’s sticking up for this non-caring facility that let this “poor” women die!

You’re right, I am all about saving lives when they can be saved, but I’m also all about death with dignity when the time is right and it’s in line with the wishes of the patient themselves.  What’s more is that this debate is not about the wishes of the patient, which has already been confirmed by deceased family members, this is about a 911 dispatcher who thought that the person at the end of the phone should care enough to begin CPR, regardless of the rules and regulations by which the employee was mandated to follow.  Yes, the caller should probably not have said that they were a nurse which could be interpreted as a skilled nursing center instead of an independent retirement community.   Yes, the nurse and the dispatcher could have been more calm while explaining that the patients wishes were for no resuscitation and that the community agrees to no resuscitation prior to living in that facility.  But in the end, the mainstream media has gotten wind of this story and blown it way, way out of proportion.  I’ve dealt with so many of these calls that I predicted what the problem was before I even read the story. And after reading not one, but many accounts, found that it was just as I thought. In short, lack of communication, lack of paperwork and lack of privacy.  You put all those together and what do you get?  A hot story that takes off like a wild fire!  Watch the video for my thoughts and then give me your feedback.  Especially if you disagree.  I love a good debate.

 

 

 

Posted in Roy on Rescue • CPR for Instructors • CPR for Providers

Watch A Real Cardiac Arrest and Survival! Plus Patient Interview Post Resuscitation.

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I wanted to share this video with you.  We know sudden cardiac arrest happens almost every 2 minutes to someone in the U.S. but we rarely get a chance to watch a real cardiac arrest occur, see the rescue caught on a security camera and then hear the patient talk about his experience so that everyone can learn from it.  If you or someone you know does not know how to provide CPR, please go to www.profirstaid.com and watch the free CPR training by clicking on the training video tab.  Or simply click here after  you watch the video below.

Posted in Roy on Rescue • AED • CPR for Instructors • CPR for Providers • Child Emergencies

Should CPR and AED’s Be Required In Schools?

Comments:2 Comments

Students Train Free!

Every couple of minutes, someone suffers sudden cardiac arrest.  95% of these victims are dead before they make it to the Emergency Room doors.  In North Carolina, the Governor is trying to change that statistic.  She’s signed a bill that requires all highschoolers to be CPR trained prior to receiving their diploma.    Is it a good or bad idea and why do you feel the way you do?
Keep in mind that ProTrainings.com has already implemented a program that offers CPR training and certification to all high school students for FREE! ProTrainings.com and the StudentsTrainFree.com program reported that over 3000 high schoolers this year alone have already been trained and certified. If you know of any school desiring to implement a similar program, please contact ProTrainings.com and ask for the Student CPR department.

Posted in Preparedness • Roy on Rescue • RoyOnRescue Personal Responses • CPR for Instructors • CPR for Providers • Personal Protective Equipment • Scene Safety • Self Defense Preparedness

Why Put On Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) Before Checking For Consciousness?

Comments:2 Comments

Hello Rescuers!

I just received a question via our ProCPR customer feedback that read: PPE

Dear ProCPR, “Question 16 says you have on PPE (personal protective equipment)  already, then you check for
responsiveness. Why would you put on your PPE before you check consciousness?

– Anthony

In case anyone else may have asked the same question I though I’d address it.  First, Question 16 is the number this person was on while taking the ProCPR.org test.  This is the online portion of the Health Care Provider level BLS certification training in case anyone was wondering.

Okay,  now for the answer.  As professional health care providers, we should always be thinking about cross contamination.  We don’t want to catch what the patient may have and we don’t want to give the patient anything that we may have!  Remember, PPE works both ways.  Can anyone say, nosocomial infection?  Even if the patient isn’t in obvious distress or obviously infectious, we should be thinking about the fact that the person seems to be in need and may require medical treatment.  This means that we may need gloves, CPR shield with one way barrier, goggles, face mask, respiratory protection etc.   This is why it’s so important to think about PPE  whenever we encounter a situation that may call us into action.  Not just when the person is unconscious or not breathing.

Forever, I’ve battled the problem with health care professionals short cutting PPE while giving care or even thinking about care.  We really do need to consider the two way protective properties related to infection control as it relates to appropriate personal protective equipment.

When it comes to layperson rescue, one of the top five reasons that laypeople will not intervene when a person is in distress is the fear of disease!  If the rescuer is approaching a victim and dons their gloves early as well as ensures that they have a CPR shield available, the fear of catching a disease is greatly diminished.  This will  increase the chances that the Good Samaritan may actually get physically involved in the rescue.

Now I know what you may be thinking…”Roy!  Do you really think that I’ll have one of those rescue kits on by belt all the time?  You may be a “Rescue Hero” type but the feasibility of me having PPE on my person when I’m at the beach, shopping, walking, vacationing, or even at a business meeting is slim to none.”  Well, I have to agree!  Unless you are a professional rescuer on duty, you probably won’t have your jump kit, glove pouch or a one way valve mask bag swinging from your belt loop.  So how will you have the PPE you need at the time you need it?  The best way I’ve found is to have a key ring rescue kit.  The catch is having it be small enough to not get in the way and large enough to carry your gloves and a one way CPR shield.  The reason I say a Key Ring style, is that I think that keys are the one item that most people have with them most of the time.  If they don’t have them with them, then they are usually close at hand.  And if we have our keys, we’ll at least have gloves and a CPR shield.   So make sure you get one and then the PPE problem is out of the way.  Still don’t think that PPE is needed?   Well, that’s why the AHA endorses “hands only” CPR!  It’s really not that compression only CPR is better than full Cardio PULMONARY resuscitation, it’s that there are so many non PPE toting people afraid that they may catch a disease if they do mouth to mouth rescue breaths that we had to design a new form of  bystander CPR.  Since implementing  “Hands only” CPR, there has been an increase in rescuer involvement.  And when people get involved and provide CPR, lives are saved!

PPE should be on every rescuer’s mind…and key chain, lay or professional and when we begin to think about PPE as the first step in rescue, lives are saved and infection is prevented more often!

Hope this helps.