Tuesday 29 July 2014

Working in Montréal today --No sticky bits

Good morning folks,

I will be working in Montréal today.  In keeping with the last few weeks of changing it up to keep you guessing, it's right in line.

Question for you.. if you were witness to a person in cardiac distress, would you know what to do, and if you knew what to do, would you do it?

Now many of you may have leapt right in with a yes - yes.  But would it be true?  Would you remember where to put your hands, would you actually perform the chest compressions correctly and would you perform mouth to mouth?  Even if there was strange gooey - sticky bits on the victim's lips or ew.. The dreaded cold sore?

Good news!  There is a mouth free CPR method, actually it's called the hands only, but since it exists largely for the lip squeamish, I prefer mouth free.  it's also simple and You can learn it right away.

But before I continue a word from my lawyer.

Daniel is not a medical doctor nor practitioner, and although he has stayed at one, possibly two Holiday Inn Express hotels, his advice is provided only for amusement and entertainment purposes.  Yes, Janine, 37 years ago when he suggested that you pretend to be a nurse and he would be the doctor, it was all an act.  For you and all other readers, if you need actual medical advice, please see an actual medical practitioner.

Okay.. Finished?  On with the unsolicited advice.

The mouth free CPR method works like this.  And btw, this is a stripped down concise guide, and while the CPR guides have 8 or so steps, I believe that keeping it very simple will help you provide help.

Find a victim.  If one cannot be located, choking a passerby may help.  If they resist, explain that it's all for science and you are attempting to help them.

Attempt to wake the victim.  If they are not breathing of gasping for breath, call 911 or better, recruit a bystander to call 911 and stay by your side.  If you have no phones available, send someone to call 911 and report back to you.

Tilt the victim's head back and chin up, this will open the airway.  This step is absent from the 2010 hands only method published, but do it anyway.  Start chest compressions.  Forget about finding the bottom of the sternum and measuring up three fingers.  Just place the palm of your hand on the sternum directly between and inline with the nipples.  Place your other hand over your first with your fingers interleaved.

Now push down at least 2 inches. Release and let the chest rise.  Repeat.  The rate is about 100 per minute.  About 25 down/ups in 15 seconds.  Keep doing this until the victim wakes up or help arrives.  If you hear or feel a rib break or move, keep going.  Broken ribs are a good trade for being alive.

Simple.  And no lip locking and no sharing the sticky bits.

Have a good day. 

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