Our speakers this week were Thomas Ngyuen and Tamlyn Sasaki from Alpha Epsilon Delta at UCLA. They gave an amazing talk on basic life support (BLS) and recognizing and treating 5 medical emergencies: hands-only CPR, AED, Heart Attack, Stroke, and Bleeding Control.
CPR
CPR should only be given to unresponsive patients. After establishing unresponsiveness, have someone get help by calling 911 and finding an AED while you palpate for a pulse. Before conducting CPR, make sure the individual is on a hard flat surface.
CPR procedure
Administer 30 compressions
Place your hands, on top of each other, in the middle of the patient’s chest. Using your body weight administer compressions at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute.
Deliver 2 rescue breaths
By tilting the individual’s head back slightly with chin lifted, and nose pinched, place your mouth directly over the individual’s mouth for a complete seal. Blow into the individual’s mouth to make their chest rise.
Continue the cycle until the individual shows signs of life or help arrives.
AED
An AED is an automated external defibrillator used to analyze the heart rhythm and deliver an electric shock to individuals with ventricular fibrillation to restore the heart to normal.
AED Procedure
Turn on AED
Make sure the patient’s chest is bare and dry
Place one pad on the upper right side of the patient’s chest and the other one on the lower left side
Press the “analyze” button for AED to analyze the person’s heart rhythm
Make sure no one is touching the patient when AED is analyzing heart rhythm
If AED recommends delivering a shock to the patient, press the “shock” button
Make sure no one is touching the patient when AED is delivering a shock to the patient
After using AED, begin 2 minutes or 5 cycles of CPR before reanalyzing the patient’s heart rhythm. STOP CPR when patient shows signs of life
Heart Attack
A heart attack occurs due to a lack of blood flow from a blood clot. If an individual show any major heart attack symptoms, call 911 immediately. Aspirin may be given to prevent further clotting of the blood. However, aspirin should not be given if the individual shows signs of bleeding.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack
Crushing chest pain
Fatigue
Lightheadedness
Skin is cool, clammy, and sweaty
Stroke
A stroke occurs when blood flow stops going to a part of the brain due to either bleeding or blockage. Call 911 immediately if an individual displays signs of a stroke.
Signs of Stroke
Face drooping
Arm weakness
Speech difficulties/ slurring of speech
Bleeding
There are 2 types of bleeds: venous bleeds and arterial bleeds. Characteristics of venous bleeds include dark red color blood that slowly flows/oozes. On the contrary, arterial bleeds are bright red color and gushes/spurts out quickly.
Treating Bleeds
Disinfecting wound by washing it with warm water and soap
Apply gauze or bandage to the bleeding area
Apply direct pressure until the bleeding stops
For arterial bleeds extra pressure may be required to stop the bleeding
Want to be certified?
Becoming certified in CPR/AED or BLS will allow you to feel more confident in providing lifesaving care in the event of a cardiac emergency. To become certified, complete a CPR/AED or BLS course with the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.
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