Nervous about CPR

suzy253, RN · Sep 26, 2006

The 1st time I was snatched up to do chest compressions on a patient in ICU when I was a student, I didn't even have time to think about placement of the hands. You just jump in there and it will come back to you. Try not to worry...you will be fine plus, if the situation happens, you won't be alone.

luv2shopp85 · Sep 26, 2006

I don't feel confident in myself at all... right now when I think about it i'm not really sure what to do. I'm sure in the tense situation where sometime codes and i have all this adrenaline running through me it will be even worse with figuring out what to do. I know with compressions you interlock the hands... but do you compress right below the sternum with adults?

Where do you do compressions with children and babies?

jov · Sep 26, 2006

I don't feel confident in myself at all... I know with compressions you interlock the hands... but do you compress right below the sternum with adults?
Where do you do compressions with children and babies?

There must be 1000+ places to look online for this. :nono: Or a CPR book in a public library. Or your local fire station. I would be willing to bet there are even little laminated cheat sheet cards you can keep in your uniform pocket. Specifically find these answers out. Then you won't have to spend all this energy worrying about it. Just get the location right. Have the ol' boyfriend lie down and rip open his shirt and practice getting your hands in position (no compressions please). Then get your timing reasonably close. The people in the ER will be happy to tell you to increase the depth of your compressions or slow down the rate, but at least know where to put your hands.

This will take a whole 10 minutes to find out the answers on your own, instead of spazzing out about it, like you have been for the past two days. So just go and do it. now.

suzy253, RN · Sep 26, 2006

There must be 1000+ places to look online for this. Or a CPR book in a public library. Or your local fire station. I would be willing to bet there are even little laminated cheat sheet cards you can keep in your uniform pocket. Specifically find these answers out. Then you won't have to spend all this energy worrying about it. Just get the location right. Have the ol' boyfriend lie down and rip open his shirt and practice getting your hands in position (no compressions please). Then get your timing reasonably close. The people in the ER will be happy to tell you to increase the depth of your compressions or slow down the rate, but at least know where to put your hands.
This will take a whole 10 minutes to find out the answers on your own, instead of spazzing out about it, like you have been for the past two days. So just go and do it. now.

Whew...that's a wee bit harsh isn't it? :rolleyes:

Anyway, here is a website that offers videos as well as a refresher.

Good luck to you. I'm sure you'll do just fine.

http://depts.washington.edu/learncpr/

jov · Sep 26, 2006

I guess I lost my patience when I saw the links right on top of the post.

GOOGLE: ...LEARN CPR... RED CROSS CPR ...CHILD CPR :idea:

i mean, part of being a nurse is knowing where to get information, is it not?

luv2shopp85 · Sep 27, 2006

lol i haven't spazzed about it all ... i was just thinking about it tongiht and had some free time so i thought id post on here about it. ive never once posted on here about cpr... i posted about a month ago in the emergency nursing forum because i was scared about the er clinical rotation in general, nothing specicific about cpr.

but thanks for the website! i appreciate it

luv2shopp85 · Sep 27, 2006

byt hte way on my browser i dont see any links for CPR at the top.. i see www.boatersworld.com, www.bremaaircare.com, www.emc.com, www.guidetohealthcareschools.com . Isn't the whole point of this website to be able to ask for help?

augigi, CNS · Sep 27, 2006

Not to mention, this is basic information you need to pass NCLEX and be a safe practitioner.

You cannot prepare for having to DO CPR, except by doing it a lot. What you can do to reduce your (justified) anxiety is to learn as much as you can. You need to know the hand placement, steps of BLS and check your technique is effective. You need to do this now.

Perhaps take a community first aid course to help with your anxiety and make you more confident?

WDWpixieRN, RN · Sep 27, 2006

I have to agree with the OP....I took CPR for Healthcare Givers a week before I started my first semester of NS....then when we started clinicals, we were told that we might have to use it in our hospital!! Talk about SPAZZING!!

I can barely hang on to all the material, skills, and information being thrown at me the past 5 weeks, never mind think of what I was taught the week before that for CPR!! I could also remember 30/2, but as for each step before that, I was so worried!!

Finally, fellow students who are techs or aides just said, "You start compressing and go with it until help arrives"....oh, okay....but I appreciate the links above and someone else expressing my fear!! This isn't really something you get to 'practice' in clinicals a lot!! (Thank heavens!)

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2006

Our school requires one that has a start date between May06 and Dec06, but you have to have a card to attend clinicals. So those 15 spots on next saturday's time are filled up. I was the first one in and so glad of it as well! I remember most of it, but took CPR 1.5 years ago, so some of the child parts are hazy. Did the compressions get changed to 30 and 2 breaths? I thought I remember being taught 15 and 2...just a thought.

luv2shopp85 · Sep 27, 2006

Yeah the compressions did get changed. Its something that wsa just going into affect in April when I was taking my CPR class. So they said they were going to teach us the new method since that is what is being done now.