Actively bleeding patient

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Would doing CPR or stopping the bleeding take precedence? Wouldn't CPR exacerbate the blood loss?

Generally, the RNs are responsible for the CPR and anything like that (The guards step back when medical emergencies happen once medical staff is present), but they could definitely help maintain pressure on the wound, that's why I said it was a plausible solution. Thanks for the insight everyone! :)

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

Jus the other day, had a knife wound to the neck and wrists. Once we got him topped off with blood every time we compressed the chest, congrats you had a bleeder. Tourniquet was applied to the arm, and someone had their hands in his neck to stop the bleeding in there, all while we were doing CPR and mass transfusing. You have to stop the bleeding so you still have some left in the tank to circulate while doing CPR.

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Yes! You hit the nail on the head with what my initial concern was. The bleeding has to be stopped or else there wont be any blood left to pump through the body. So, that is where my dilemma was coming from. Essentially, the two should be done simultaneously.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

RE prison guards and CPR - are not some staff (if not all) required to be CPR cert as part of their job specs? I mean, what would happen if the nurse were mortally assaulted (or had an MI ) during some type of incident? Who would assist the nurse?

Or if the nurse were involved in 1 situation and then a 2nd situation occurred. Wouldn't there be someone to assist?

Just asking.

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Specializes in ICU.

Well, all bleeding stops .... eventually.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Correct...In the real world it is done simultaneously......You have to do CPR because if the heart isn't beating they aren't leaving but without gas in the tank they aren't leaving either.

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Specializes in ER.
Correct...In the real world it is done simultaneously......You have to do CPR because if the heart isn't beating they aren't leaving but without gas in the tank they aren't leaving either.

Hi Esme! Nice to see you!

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Airway

Breathing

Circulation

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Airway

Breathing

Circulation

Circulation

Airway

Breathing

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Airway

Breathing

Circulation

Not anymore. Airway checks and breaths are useless if the circulation isn't pumping. This changed with the 2010 AHA Guidelines.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Hello Esme! Happy Thanksgiving Day early to you & yours.

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CPR circulates the blood volume. Why circulate something that is not there?

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