Infant CPR while holding the baby on your arm...What?

[everthesame]

I currently work in corrections and the annual CPR course they teach at my facility is not certified by AHA or American Red Cross. It is from the American Safety and Health Institute.

Anyway, while teaching the infant CPR portion, the instructor said you can perform CPR on an infant while carrying it on your arm. Since I was coming off of a long stretch of work nights and the course was during the day, I assumed my sleep-deprived self heard wrong. Later during the demonstration check-off one of my co-workers was having a hard time getting the infant dummy's chest to rise. She was having difficulty bending over the table due to a recent surgery. The instructor decided that this was the perfect time to reiterate the fact the you can perform infant CPR while holding the baby on your arm, head toward the crook of the elbow. Of course, my co-worker couldn't deliver effective breaths while holding the baby because it was impossible for her to correctly position the airway while holding the baby like that.

Did I miss something? When did they start teaching this technique? I thought I was going to fail the infant check off because I disagreed with this technique. In the past I have worked in newborn nurseries and in a NICU. I just find it hard to believe that this is an acceptable technique and I ruffled a few feathers when I politely tried to explain this to the instructor.

Has anyone out there heard of this before?

[nohika]

Is this AHA protocol? I've only ever certified through them, and I can't remember ever being taught this.

AHA's taught both my CPR classes and it's what I've been taught both times.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

This is the standard now.

[tntrn, ASN, RN]

This is new for me as well, and after 34 years in OB. I took CPR last year and it wasn't taught that way....I think the size of the infant would be a factor. I know that I could not hold a 9 pound newborn on one arm while trying to do compressions with the other.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

It's the way I was taught. It also makes it easier to flip the baby if obstruction is suspected. Aomeone questioned protocol. I always took AHA, I wonder if Red Cross is different? Hmmm.

[Fiona59]

Head in hand or on a firm surface is how we are taught up here in Canada.

[maxthecat]

I was taught that you support the infant on your arm, head down, when there is a suspected foreign object you are trying to dislodge with back blows and chest thrusts. The sandwich position allows you to flip the baby front to back and work more efficiently.

For infant cpr I was taught you need the infant on a firm surface so your chest thrusts are most effective.

In real life I suspect you'd do the best you could with what it at hand.

[nursein2012]

The technique is with the baby's head in your hand not in your elbow.. With the head in your hand you can properly position for an open airway. Another reason you can perform CPR this way is because you can then go get help while performing CPR ifyou are alone.

[Future_Nurse_2_Be]

nursein2012

The technique is with the baby's head in your hand not in your elbow.. With the head in your hand you can properly position for an open airway. Another reason you can perform CPR this way is because you can then go get help while performing CPR ifyou are alone.

I was just taught this technique as well in my class 'BLS for the health care provider' a few months ago.

[shah]

This is a out of hospital technique we teach. Stopping compressions on a baby, even to call 911, or while transferring a baby from home to ambulance would be fatal. Remember, those twinkies' hearts beat around a 100 beats per minute. It is therefore, helpful to take baby in your arms and keep compressing while you are on the phone. Or for EMS personnel to carry the baby in their arms while performing compressions. I am not sure about nurses' courses, but AHA CPR courses for EMS (where I learned it) have videos demonstrating this scenario.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I've been taught the head in the hand (football hold) every time I've taken Health Care Provider CPR and laymen CPR and recert classes since the late 90's. I've done both AHA and Red Cross. My next recert is due in February, I'll see if its taught that way again.

It was told to us its due to being easier to move around (to make 911 call, open door for EMS, etc) due to even the smallest time frame without compressions and rescue breaths can mean life or death for the infant. Also that its easier to go from compression to breath when the baby is laying on the forearm than it is to do when the baby is on a firm surface.

[NurseAdida]

I think you guys are mixing up infant "CPR" with infant "choking". When an infant's choking you will use your arm and thighs. Never heard of infant CPR performed on the arm, I mean how do you give rescue breaths??? I understand doing this while going to get the phone to avoid interrupting compressions. Correct me if am wrong...with links please.

[Katie5]

This is a delicate issue and there are different schools of thought on it.

As a precaution , before you go ruffling feathers a next time:), I'd suggest you research more on the topic and be a 110% percent sure, that your way is the ONLY way.

Or if the clarification cannot wait, then you word it as best possible in a non-challenging manner as you can.

No one likes to eat crow.