You Are Vital!

In our rural town we have a wonderful volunteer EMS. Their skills however do not dictate their speed. Their response times to any given emergency depends on their whereabouts in relation to the scene at the time the call goes out. Even in the larger town with a full staff and faster response times, it is their goal to make it anywhere in town in five minutes or less. By the time someone sees a need, dials 911, reports the need and the call goes out, precious moments have already passed. Even in a larger town arriving in less than 5-10 minutes is doing pretty good. We can not emphasize enough how vital (literally) every minute is. For every minute that passes when CPR is not provided, the chance of survival decreases by 10%. This means the faster care can be provided, the better the chances of survival! There have been divine moments where EMS is passing an emergency as it occurs but more commonly it is YOU, the lay bystander who will witness and respond in the first moments.

This post is to remind you that when you became certified through us, Mindset Matters Coach, you should have received an email with a digital copy of the handbook. You can review your skills as needed. Since I have you here and CPR is so critical, let's review a few important points!

CPR HAND PLACEMENT FOR ADULTS

For adults, position your hands in the center of the chest between the nipples. Follow these chest compression steps to ensure you are positioned correctly:

• Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest on the breastbone.

• Place the heel of the other hand directly on top of the first.

• Lift or interlace your fingers.

• Position your shoulders directly over your hands.

• Keep your arms straight.

• Push straight down (aim for a compression depth of at least 2 inches).

Allow the chest to fully rise between compressions. And avoid lifting your hands completely off the chest.

Push hard and fast until you see obvious signs of life or until EMS arrives and takes over.

CPR HAND PLACEMENT FOR CHILDREN AND INFANTS

While the overall goal of compressions is the same, there are a few key differences to note when performing CPR on a child or infant.

For children age 1 year to puberty, continue to position your hands in the center of the chest between the nipples. Use 1 or 2 hands for compressions, depending on the size of the child. If you become fatigued during compressions, use both hands to ensure you continue to reach the desired depth (about 2 inches or 1/3 the depth of the child’s chest).

For children younger than 1 year, position 2 fingers in the center of the chest just below the nipple line. An infant’s body is much smaller, so you only need to use 2 fingers for compressions instead of your hands. Aim for a compression depth about 1.5 inches or 1/3 the depth of the child’s chest.* Please see your handbook for further illustrations. Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions! Have a safe holiday season! Blessings Adam, Danielle & family Mindset Matters Coach We offer scenario based add on trainings to keep your skills fresh between certifying and getting recertified every two years. They are fun, innovative and cater towards your group, church or workplace. These scenarios can be planned as a meeting or as an impromptu training that only the supervisors are aware of. Mock emergencies can test your ability to respond smoothly and appropriately. Contact us for more details. *Info reposted from ASHI/MEDIC