Basic life support test

Posted on December 3, 2008 | Category: Personal & social, Sports & Leisure, The Human Mind & Body, The World & beyond

Many lives could be saved each year if everyone had basic life support knowledge & awareness.

The following is just an example but the actions to take afterwards may help in an emergency situation,

You are walking in the basement corridor of a medical centre. Ahead of you a middle-aged man suddenly slumps against the wall and slides to the floor. No one is available to help. What should you do next?

If your answer to this question is “I don’t know” then read on…

1 Make sure you, and the casualty are safe, along with any other bystanders.

2 Check the casualty for a response by gently shaking their shoulder and asking loudly ”Are you all right?”

3 If the casualty responds then – providing there is no further immediate danger
Leave them in the position you found them
Talk with them to find out what is wrong, and then get further help if possible
Keep checking on them.

4 If the casualty doesn’t respond – Shout for help
Turn the casualty so that they are on their back, then placing your hand on their forehead gently tilt their head back, your finger and thumb may be needed to hold their nose if mouth to mouth is needed.

5 If breathing is normal
It’s not always easy to tell whether breathing is normal or not so look, listen, and feel.

Look for chest movement
Listen at the casualty’s mouth for breath sounds
Feel for air on your cheek
If you have any doubt whether breathing is normal, act as if it is not normal.

If you feel breathing is normal put the casualty into the recovery position
Send or go for help/call for an ambulance
Check for continued breathing

6 If breathing is not normal
Infrequent, wheezy and noisy gasps are not normal breathing signs.
Send someone for help or try to get help. If not start ‘Chest compressions’
Kneel by the side of the casualty                                                         Place the heel of one hand in the centre of the casualty’s chest Place the heel of your other hand on top of the first hand          Interlock the fingers of your hands and ensure that pressure is not applied over the casualty’s ribs. Do not apply any pressure over the upper abdomen or the bottom end of the bony sternum (breastbone)                                                                                  Position yourself vertically above the casualty’s chest and, with your arms straight, press down on the sternum 4-5 cm                            After each compression, release all the pressure on the chest without losing contact between your hands and the sternum. Repeat at a little less than 2 compressions per second Compressing and releasing should take equal amounts of time

After 30 compressions tilt the head and lift the chin                                Pinch the soft part of the nose closed, and put that  hand on the casualty’s forehead.                                                                                                      Open their mouth with chin up                                                                         Take a normal breath and place your lips around their mouth, making a seal.                                                                                                        Blow steadily into the mouth and watch for the chest to rise, a second of normal breathing is an effective rescue breath.                                  Keeping the head tilted and chin lifted, take your mouth away from the casualty and watch for the chest to fall                                                   Take another normal breath and repeat the above once again. After two effective rescue breaths return your hands without delay to the correct position on the sternum and give a further 30 chest compressions. Continue with chest compressions and rescue breaths in a ratio of 30:2. Stop to recheck the casualties only if they start breathing normally; otherwise do not stop.

If your first rescue breath did not make the chest rise as in normal breathing, then before your next attempt:
Check the casualty’s mouth and remove any obstruction

Recheck that there is adequate head tilt and chin lift

Do not attempt more than two breaths each time before returning to chest compressions

» Filed Under Personal & social, Sports & Leisure, The Human Mind & Body, The World & beyond

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