Thoughts on CPR?

Dranger · Jul 30, 2014

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

No I say things that make sense. On the street you don't have a bag mask so compressions are adequate to keep a person alive until EMS comes. In a hospital you have more resources for an airway. This has been in BLS guidelines since 2010

What's not to get? Oh and I like the Dr. part.

Carpediem1012, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2014

Ok lol! Fair enough. An easy question, and thank you for answering it. I'm still learning, but the pathophys makes sense. Thank you :). I see why they are now advocating to have lay people do compressions only.

OCNRN63, 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.

There are only two people I would do rescue breaths on: Mom and Dad. Everyone else gets compressions only.

And you're right, this info has been out there for a couple of years.

calivianya, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2014

In or outside of the hospital, it's the same - compressions, compressions, compressions! I would only do compressions and no breaths if I was the first person on the scene. Compressions are the most important part, someone else can handle the airway when backup arrives. Besides, there has even been a study done that says it's safe to continue compressions DURING defibrillation (with the current gel pads in standard position and the person doing compressions wearing gloves). I posted it on Facebook for the wow factor and one of my former classmates commented that she'd seen it done at her facility. The moral is, never stop compressions for any reason, but I am not brave enough to continue during defibrillation, myself.

amoLucia · Jul 30, 2014

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.

You're so right about this!!! Remember when precordial thumps were done with CPR eons ago?

And to Dranger - I didn't think there was anything NOT NICE about your first post!

Carpediem1012, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2014

In or outside of the hospital, it's the same - compressions, compressions, compressions! I would only do compressions and no breaths if I was the first person on the scene. Compressions are the most important part, someone else can handle the airway when backup arrives. Besides, there has even been a study done that says it's safe to continue compressions DURING defibrillation (with the current gel pads in standard position and the person doing compressions wearing gloves). I posted it on Facebook for the wow factor and one of my former classmates commented that she'd seen it done at her facility. The moral is, never stop compressions for any reason, but I am not brave enough to continue during defibrillation, myself.

Thank you for venturing into a discussion with a student without pointing out this is old news. Funny thing- I have only BEEN in this "biz" for a couple years, so what is "old" to some, may not be old to others .

And you are right, nothing wrong with Dr anger's first post. It's just the general tone of disdain for "those old questions" that some people portray time and again- that gets old too lol!

I appreciate the feedback, it was a question I thought worth asking, and now I have some answers from different experiences and opinions. I appreciate that :)