Thoughts on CPR?

Dranger · Jul 30, 2014

Current BLS guidelines state that adequate chest compression are enough until an airway can be established via bag mask or advanced methods.

I am not going to do mouth to mouth on a stranger and the blood remains oxygenated for some time. The person in CA mostly needs defib or that pumping circulation via compressions to stay alive.

This is old news by the way.

T-Bird78 · Jul 30, 2014

Lay people can do compression-only CPR, and that might actually get more people willing to step in and help. Most non-medical people aren't willing to do rescue breathing, especially on a stranger, so this could be beneficial for them. I can see what the article was talking about, keeping the chin-lift head-tilt portion to keep the airway open, makes sense. I've even seen commercials advertising the "hands only" CPR for lay people.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 30, 2014

The rationale is ..circulation is paramount to the rescue.The rescuer is NOT able to administer oxygen via mouth to mouth. .. it is the compressions that circulate the existing oxygen.

Don't waste time administering breaths... pump, pump , pump any oxygenated blood.

Carpediem1012, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2014

But for health professionals? Like I said, I was trained to do both. I get the rationale. It's also scary that the survival rate is only 12%, so knowing what to focus on would be good. (Not that I've ever had to implement CPR on the street etc). It seems as though technique is changing.

mvm2 · Jul 30, 2014

a CPR class is going to teach you all steps to CPR including breaths so you understand the process. But that does not mean you have to give breaths if you do not have a bag or mask. Keep that heart pumping till advanced help arrive.

Carpediem1012, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2014

So as a nurse, would you just do compressions, or add in breathing as well?

Carpediem1012, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2014

Current BLS guidelines state that adequate chest compression are enough until an airway can be established via bag mask or advanced methods.
I am not going to do mouth to mouth on a stranger and the blood remains oxygenated for some time. The person in CA mostly needs defib or that pumping circulation via compressions to stay alive.
This is old news by the way.

Do you ever have anything nice to say dr anger - I mean Dranger . (That was actually spell check, but thought it fitting).

mvm2 · Jul 30, 2014

Well if you are working at a facility or hospital there are bags and masks that are avaliable to the nurses to give proper ventalation, but I would not be giving mouth to mouth without one just because I am in health care

MedChica · Jul 30, 2014

I recently did CPR on one of my pts and have come to believe in the effectiveness of compressions first(or only) CPR.

Like, 4 to 5 compressions (and they were slow - to the tune of 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' - bc I reinjured a sprained wrist trying to wrestle another pt away from trying to stick a fork into the damned wall outlet. SMH. I just can't with these people sometimes....) and there was faint pulse AND gasping RR. Had to stop because he was DNR but I remember being surprised that he was able to do even this. Mostly, because I've had ABC style CPR drilled into me.

It felt pretty awkward starting with compressions, too. Yet, the rationale makes total sense.

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Jul 30, 2014

Mostly, because I've had ABC style CPR drilled into me.
It felt pretty awkward starting with compressions, too. Yet, the rationale makes total sense.

It's interesting to me to think about what things we're doing today that will be viewed as incorrect when the 2015 or 2020 recommendations come out. I mean, heck... look/listen/feel was a given for so many years and now it's been taken out of the entire sequence.

SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2014

But for health professionals? Like I said, I was trained to do both. I get the rationale. It's also scary that the survival rate is only 12%, so knowing what to focus on would be good. (Not that I've ever had to implement CPR on the street etc). It seems as though technique is changing.

OP, this is a pretty easy question. The method of CPR utilized depends on the setting. If you're on the street, compressions only. The decreasing pH of the blood in a person who is not exchanging CO2 and O2 actually causes the hemoglobin to release bound O2. If you're in a healthcare setting with advanced airway techniques, however, of course you're going to do compressions and breathing together.

Why is the "survival" rate (more like efficacy of CPR) scary? I think 12% efficacy is pretty good considering your patient is dead.