One of the things that you would learn when you undergo CPR training is that, before you can administer CPR, you have to ensure first that the person, indeed, is unconscious and is not breathing. You would also come to understand that, in such cases, every minute counts. But what if the victim in front of you is not a human being but an animal?

This is what recently transpired at the National Zoo in Washington. The situation involved a giant panda cub who was born just a few days prior to the incident which took place last September 23. According to records, the last time any audible sound was heard from the young cub was at 9 in the morning. A few minutes later, zoo keepers heard a honking sound interpreted to be a distress call coming from the little one’s mother. With the help of CPR, the cub was revived by the staff. Unfortunately, a few hours after, the cub again lost consciousness and was pronounced dead by 10:28 am. Although the situation might not have ended on a positive note, it still highlights the need for training in CPR.

CPR, or Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, is typically done in order to simulate blood circulation in an unconscious patient and, thus, ensure that brain function is kept intact. It typically involves the administration of chest compression as well as breaths whic is typically done via mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Why is artificial blood circulation important? In cases of cardiac arrest, there is the possibility of blood circulation stopping which could cause tissue necrosis. Tissue necrosis is more commonly known as tissue death. When it happens in major organs, this could only lead to death. This is the reason why most people and institutions providing CPR trainings always emphasize the importance of being able to administer CPR as soon as possible. There have also been medical professionals who would recommend that a lay person who is not knowledgeable about how to administer CPR to just focus on doing chest compressions well until the paramedics arrive. This is because being able to simulate circulation is more important than being able to restore respiration. One has to keep in mind, however, that CPR alone is not enough in order to restore normal heart rhythm. Also there is a possibility of reviving the patient, it is still important that he or she be brought to the nearest hospital in order to assess his or her condition. There are also cases when a lay person can make use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in order to administer electric shocks that could jolt the heart into attaining a regular beating pattern. These devices are very easy to use and often comes with both verbal and visual instructions that could guide a lay person through a CPR. This is the reason why there have been moves to ensure that there is at least one AED unit in public places.

You, too, can learn how to administer CPR properly by undergoing CPR training and certification in such institutions as Citywide CPR. Start now and start saving lives.

No matter how ready a person is, no one can really predict just how fast or efficient he or she can be when dealing with a situation unless that emergency situation is already in front of him or her. This is especially the case if the emergency situation that you have involves an unconscious person. This, however, does not mean that you cannot ready yourself. Here are some tips on how you can be a bit prepared should you be faced with a life or death situation such as SCA, or what is known as Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

One of the things that you have to keep in mind is that you need to stay calm. In most cases, a stressed out lay responder is more of a danger to the victim than someone who is calm and is quite conscious of what is happening. If the emergency happened outside of your own home, check if there is someone nearby who has an AED with them. This would be of great help to you especially if you are not aware about how to give a CPR.

In case there is no AED available and you have no idea how CPR is performed, the best that you can do is to do chest compressions until the paramedic arrives. In order to do this, you have to make sure that the victim is lying flat on the ground. Locate the end of the sternum and then go up about two inches. This is where you would need to apply the compressions. Make sure that you do not apply the pressure on the end of the sternum or on the ribs as well as the upper abdomen. Doing so would put the victim in more danger. Once you have placed the heel of your palm on the right area, interlock it with your other hand. Keep your arms straight and avoid bending the elbows while applying the compression. It is also not a good idea to do the compressions in a jerking motion. Put your knees apart in order to prevent this. Now, each compression should be at least 5 centimeters in depth. You would also need to make as much as 100 compressions per minute in order to simulate blood circulation. Should you be able to revive the patient even before the paramedic arrives, make sure that you keep him well ventilated and secure. Do not allow him or her to wander off without being checked by a medical professional.

Although most people see sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) as one and the same, this is actually far from the truth. A heart attack can occur when not enough oxygen-rich blood is able to reach the heart. In most cases, there are a number of signs that could signal the onset of a heart attack. This is different from a sudden cardiac arrest where the person, with no prior sign or symptom. suddenly loses consciousness. In most cases, SCA is brought about by irregular heart beat.

To make sure that you respond correctly to any type of medical emergency, enroll in a CPR training and certification course with Citywide CPR.

New Jersey might have recently released a legislation that would make it mandatory for schools to have an AED unit available and readily accessing by 2014 , they are actually not the first one to have thought of doing so. Since 2011, the state of Oregon already had a bill that makes it mandatory for schools – public, private, and charter, to have an AED unit in their establishment by 2015.

Also known as the Senate Bill 1033, the AED law makes it mandatory for all schools to have on premise at least one AED unit on the school premises. This bill came about after a number of cases involving sudden cardiac arrest not only in school staff but also among students. This is aside from the fact that, according to statistics, about 450,000 people in the US alone fall victim to sudden cardiac arrest. That being the case, studies have shown that the best way to handle cases of sudden cardiac arrest is to ensure that defibrillation shock is administered to the patient about three to five minutes as he or she loses consciousness. This is in accordance with the recent published guidelines from the American Heart Association. Aside from having an AED in schools, specific school officials are also required to undergo training in the administration of CPR.

The AED, or the Automated External Defibrillator, is a portable device typically used in cases of cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. In most cases, the devices come with visual and audio instructions that can help a lay person administer the needed electric shocks as well as perform CPR in order to revive the patient or, at least, simulate artificial blood circulation in the victim while waiting for the paramedics to arrive. Keep in mind that both the use of AED and CPR is aimed at restoring blood circulation. This is to ensure that tissue death is prevented since tissue death in major organs could verily lead to the victim’s death. Having said that, every minute that passes is, therefore, vital to making the difference between the victim being able to survive and the patient dying.

Laws on the use of AED have been put in place for quite some time now. Some of these laws mandates the presence of an AED unit in the institution while some  make it possible for organizations to be protected from liabilities. A good example of the latter is the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act which protects AED users and acquirers from any liability in connection with its use in order to revive a victim.

AEDs might still be costly for most educational institution but, as some people would comment, you practically cannot put a price tag on a person’s life. To this end, parents and even teachers have given what they financially could in order to ensure that there is at least one AED unit in their respective school grounds.

If you would like to know more about how you can save a person’s life, one of your options would be to undergo the CPR training and certification program being offered by Citywide CPR.

When it comes to saving  a life, any possible method should do; but what would you do if you are presented with two methods that both work? Which one wold you go for? If the situation involves victims suffering from sudden cardiac arrest, studies suggest that, if the AED fails, go for the CPR.

An AED, or an Automated External Defibrillator, is a portable device that is able to administer electric “shocks” that allow the heart to start pumping blood throughout the body again. One has to keep in mind that, when it comes to sudden cardiac arrest, the primary aim of the lay responder is to restore blood circulation, albeit in a artificial manner, in order to ensure that tissue necrosis is avoided. In most cases, tissue necrosis takes place as a result of the lack of needed oxygen. That being said, necrosis, therefore, occurring in major organs can be fatal and could lead to death. With an artificial blood circulation in place, the organs would, somehow, still have access to needed oxygen.

In most cases, AEDs are used first since they are able to offer the lay responders visual and verbal instruction on how to use the device as well as how to administer CPR. A single electric shock from an AED could also help jumpstart the heart’s ability to pump blood which is important in restoring normal blood circulation. However, there are cases when an AED could fail to work. In situations like these, medical professionals suggest the use of continuous chest compressions instead. For example, studies have shown that AEDs tend to be more effective if the situation involves a patient suffering from pulseless ventricular tachycardia as well as cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation. In cases where asystole and pulseless electrical activities is concerned, also known as nonshockable arrhythmias, an AED might not be as effective. Unfortunately, out of the many cases of sudden cardiac arrhythmia, majority involve arrhythmias that do not respond to an electric shock that could be given by an AED.

To further give credence to the importance of chest compressions, according to a study done by Dr. Peter J. Kudenchuk of the University of Washington in Seattle, if lay responders as well as paramedics focus more on delivering continuous chest compression rather than take time in order to analyze the data being churned out by the AED unit, there is a marked increase in the probability of the victim being able to sustain normal blood circulation as well as be able to survive their condition for one more year.

Studies published at the Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, on the other hand, indicate that continuous chest compressions are actually able to increase by more than half the likelihood of positive neurological outcome compared to those whose CPR involve minute pauses in order to administer artificial respiration.

If you would like to know more about AED and CPR, you can undergo AED program management as well as CPR certification and training at Citywide CPR.

One of the reasons why some people are hesitant to jump in and help an obvious victim of cardiac arrest is the risk that, by exerting an effort, they might actually do more harm than good. After all, not many people are aware of how to conduct a CPR, much less, where exactly to place one’s hands. Fortunately for these people, if they are able to get their hands on an AED, they would be able to perform CPR and help revive a victim without breaking a sweat. Unfortunately, not many establishments and institutions have their own AED.

AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator. It is a portable electronic device typically used in order to diagnose cardiac arrhythmias in patients. In most cases, AEDs come with simple audio and visual commands that make it possible for a lay person to be able to administer CPR and make use of the device in order to revive a cardiac arrest patient.

Just last Wednesday, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey has signed a law that makes it compulsory to have an AED within K-12 public as well as non-public schools. Known as the Janet’s law, the said legislature came about after Janet Zilinksi of Warren collapsed within school grounds in 2006. It was the lack of an AED that had led to Janet losing her life. Had an AED been administered within seconds, she could still have some fighting chance.

Janet’s case was not a rare one. In 2009, Brandon James, a student of the South Brunswick High School died after collapsing during a recreation basketball game in another school. Although the school had a defibrillator at that time, everyone depended on the defibrillator brought about by the paramedics since the latter came just a few minutes after the incident was called in. Unfortunately, the precious minutes that transpired were enough to cost James’ life

With the signing of the Janet’s Law, schools would now have to make sure that they have enough AED units available in case someone should need it. These devices should also be stored in an area easily accessed by everybody. Aside from these, the devices should also be particularly accessible during school hours as well as during after-school activities. Teachers and students alike would also need to be trained on how to use the said devices.

Janet’s Law would take effect by school year of 2014. The devices would form part of the school’s emergency action plan which should also include having at least 5 school employees or staff certified for CPR. The said emergency plan should also outline what would be done in case of an emergency and what numbers to call.

In today’s modern world, saving a life should be a tad easier. Having your hands on an AED could mean the difference between life and death of a loved one. Price should not be a problem as most AEDs are now affordable. Besides, who would want to worry about the price when precious life is at stake.

You can learn more about AED program management at Citywide CPR.

If you are one of those who spend most of their time in front of the computer, specifically FaceBook, then you would have probably come across a viral picture that informs you about the use of coughing when you are, or you think you are, suffering from a heart attack.

Termed as “cough CPR,” albeit incorrectly, it allows a patient suffering from arrhythmia to be able to maintain blood flow to major organs until the patient’s heart beat stabilizes. For most people, this might seem like they need not worry anymore if and when they suffer from sudden arrhythmia since they can just do forced coughs. There are even some who might argue that this could do away with the need to learn how to conduct a proper CPR. In truth, however, Cough CPR is very rarely used and recommended for patients suffering from sudden arrhythmia. Why is this so? One of the primary reasons why medical professionals do not use cough CPR as part of the lay-rescuer CPR courses is because this can only be somewhat effective if the patient is conscious and responsive. Unfortunately, in majority of emergency cases, the person involved is typically unconscious and/or unresponsive. Of course, it would be hard to make an unresponsive and unconscious individual cough on their own.

In addition, although cough CPR is deemed to be somehow effective in forcing the flow of blood while the victim is suffering from arrhythmia, it is still something that is recommended to be used only in hospital settings and with a nurse present. The responsibility of the nurse would be to act as a coach to the patient and instruct the latter how many coughs he or she has to do per second and how forceful each cough should be.

That being the case, one can concluded that learning how to properly conduct CPR, or even just chest compressions, is still something that  lay person should do. In truth, chest compressions is not hard to do. You only have to make sure that, with the patient lying flat on the ground, you are able to apply the chest compressions on the center of the chest, about two inches from where the sternum ends. Make sure that each compression is about half an inch deep. Keep in mind that quality is more important than quantity. However, it would be to the patient’s advantage if you can hit 100 quality chest compressions per minute. You also have to make sure that you do not do the compressions in a jerking motion as this can lead to broken bones. The only time that you can stop the compressions is when (1) you are tired and have someone who can replace you in doing the compressions, (2) the paramedics have arrived with an AED, or someone is able to bring out an AED, (3) the patient has been revived.

The best way to help someone suffering from cardiac arrest is to do chest compressions. Be able to help by undergoing CPR training and certification with Citywide CPR.

When someone suffers from a cardiac arrest, every minute is considered to be very important. This is one of the reasons why the American Heart Association has recently changed the way CPR is administered to patients. Recently, however, studies have shown that there is also a bottleneck when it comes to how the paramedics respond and treat the victim.

In most cases, when paramedics are dispatched to take care of a cardiac arrest victim, they work in pairs. Unfortunately, from there, the steps that need to be taken start to get murky. For one, there is no specific procedure or person who designates which one gets to administer the AED or do chest compressions, and which one to ready the ambulance for loading the victim. If you would observe, the two-man team would usually just alternately administer the CPR. This would mean, there is a lag in time if ever one has to go and get the AED. There could also be lag if one has to ready the ambulance while the other one has to cut through the patient’s clothing. Because oft his dilemma, the Beaufort County emergency responders have decided to shave off a few more minutes by getting inspiration from NASCAR.

If you happen to be a racing car enthusiast, you would notice that, whenever a race car makes a pit stop, a group of about 6 to 8 people hurriedly approach it, each with his own area to take care of. One would replace the left front tire, another would take care of the one on the right. This is because, when it comes to car races, every minute counts. And since the same is true for people who are suffering from cardiac arrest, it is only right that responders take notice of this process.

The Beaufort County emergency responders now have a choreographed way of dealing with victims. Instead of focusing on just one area at a time, a group of 6 medical responders would not have his or her own area of responsibility. Although this saves only about 3 minutes, the possibility of the victim making it through is actually increased by about four times.

The pit crew being used by the Beaufort County is actually made up of one ambulance, two fire engines,  and a battalion chief. With this recent change, about 4.5 out of 10 cardiac arrest victims are able to make it through as compared to the 3 out of 10 that they previously had with a two-man team. Of course, the figures differ if there is a bystander present or if the nature of the cardiac arrest involves other injuries. However, comparing the previous survival rate in any type of case with the recent figures would show an increase in the number of lives saved. This is because, one of the primary effects of the new setup is that artificial circulation is started immediately and the major organs get the needed oxygen in order to prevent tissue necrosis.

If you want to know more about CPR training and certification, Citywide CPR might be able to help you.

As soon as a person starts to learn how to walk, more and more of his or her time would be spent outside of his own home. These trips outside of the home could include a short walk to the park or the bakery, a long-distance trip to grandma, or a simple commute as you go to work. That being the case, the chance of something bad happening to him while outside of his own home greatly increases. This is probably the reason why responders and paramedics typically attend to cardiac arrest victims who are on their way to work, on their way home, or while inside their office.

Charlottesville is one of the cities who have come up with a way of dealing with the aforementioned situation. For one, The Charlottesville School has recently taken the lead and decided to come up with an expanded training for bus drivers when it comes to performing CPR. The move came about after one driver had to do first aid in a boy who was choking from a hard candy.

The move by The Charlottesville School, however, is not the first of its kind. The drivers of the  Logan-Rogersville R-8 School District have, since last year, already  encouraged their bus drivers to undergo medical training. This training covered such areas as CPR, first aid, and the use of AED, or the Automated External Defibrillator. This is to ensure that students who take their service are kept safe while on the road. Mind you, this is not something that is a requirement set by the state but, rather, a concerted efforts on the part of the schools, the drivers themselves, and the parents of the students.

So what happens now?

With more and more bus drivers being trained to administer CPR, you would no longer have a need to feel anxious and unsafe when you are on the road. Even if you have the unfortunate incident of suffering from a cardiac arrest while inside the bus, you can be sure that there is someone who can administer life-saving chest compressions.

Is learning CPR really that hard?

In truth, CPR nowadays is not that hard to administer as it was years before. With the focus now more on being able to do chest compressions up to the point where the patient gets revived, CPR has now become simpler to understand and remember. This is in light of the fact that, in the past, you have to strictly follow a set of procedure that involved administration of artificial breathing as well as checking of the airway. Today, bystanders and first responders only have to keep in mind that compressions need to be at least 5 cm in depth and should amount to as much as 100 compressions in an hour. What’s more, if you happen to have your own AED, you only have to follow the instructions being given by the machine in order to save a person’s life. Simple isn’t it?

You too can learn how to save other people’s lives. All you have to do is sign up for Citywide CPR Training and certification program.

There’s no such thing as a person being born a hero. In most of the cases, heroism is borne out of one’s desire to overcome one’s fears and do something to change the situation. That being the case, we can, therefore, technically call people who are willing to take a risk and help save another people’s life with the use of CPR as heroes. Unfortunately, there are times when there are very few who are willing to be heroes.

In Los Angeles, officials have started an investigation on why there is a considerable amount of time before CPR is started by the bystanders. Included in the investigation is the fact that it takes time for the 911 operators to give instructions to bystanders on what to do to the victim. So what’s causing the bottleneck.

There are a number of reasons why there would be a bottleneck when it comes to the administration of CPR. One of the most common, however, is the hesitation of the bystander brought about by the lack of knowledge on how CPR should be done. Although most of us would have undergone CPR training or Basic Life Support seminar, there are only a few who actually take to heart what they have learned. Some, even if they know what to do, cannot put themselves to the task because they are not really confident in what they would be doing. It is dilemmas like these that have cause the American Heart Association to change how CPR is done.

If you are one of the few people who do not jump in and take the necessary actions in order to revive an unconscious person because of the lack of belief that you can carry out the procedure, well, fear no more. The American Heart Association has recently made some changes in the way CPR is administered.

For people who cannot be bothered with counting how many breaths or compressions need to be done as part of the resuscitation process, the change in the process would be like a breath of fresh air. This is because the new procedure now calls for more hands-on compression. What brought this about is the result of recent studies that suggested a higher survival rate among victims who had compressions immediately upon losing consciousness and absence of breathing, and whose compressions lasted until paramedics arrived or until the victim was revived. This means that, even if your CPR “skills” are rusty, there is a chance that you would still be able to save a person’s life. All you have to remember is to make at least a hundred compressions per minute. Each of these compressions should be at least 5 cm deep. Of course, you have to keep in mind that the quality of each compression is more important than the quantity. After all, your primary aim is to provide artificial circulation in order to prevent tissue necrosis especially those concerning vital organs such as the brain.

The best way to be sure that you are doing the right thing is by undergoing a CPR Training and Certification Program such as the one being provided by Citywide CPR.

Anybody can be a hero. All it takes for a person to be considered a hero is a strong sense of courage and the determination to make a difference. In today’s modern world, there are a number of heroes in our midst, albeit not readily seen by most people. Such heroes are actually just like you and me – ordinary people who made extraordinary decisions in times of stress. One such stressful moment where many have proven their heroic ability is when the person next to them suddenly falls unconscious. This is what exactly happened to Shannon Coffey, Brian Cathey and Blaine Norris.

For most people, it was one fine day in Watkinsville, GA. For four people, however, it is a day that would forever change the way Coffey, Cathey, Norris, and Karen Hemphill treat each other. It was Coffey who heard it first – a thud that signaled someone had fallen on the floor. That was when Cathey and Norris rushed in to find Karen Hemphill on the floor. With no discernible breathing from Hemphill nor any heartbeat, the trio jumped into action and started resuscitating Hemphill. Cathey took over the responsibility of calling 911 while Coffey did a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. On the other hand, Norris kept going with the chest compressions until the paramedics arrived. What’s amazing was the fact that the last time Norris had undergone training for CPR was when he was still in high school. They were actually not quite sure if they were doing the compressions right and even felt that they might have broken a few ribs. To make sure that they would really be able to save Hemphill, they had to verify with the 911 operator if they were doings correctly. At one point, Cathey even called his girlfriend who had just recently undergone a training in CPR to check if what they are doing is correct.

When the paramedics arrived, a good 14 minutes after the call, the AED was used in order to restore the heart’s beat. That was also the only time that the trio stopped what they were doing. It was reported that Hemphill’s heartbeat was already normal when she was loaded on the ambulance.

Suffice to say, the quick thinking of the trio was one of the reasons why Hemphill was able to make it through the ordeal, regardless of the broken ribs. Of course, they were only able to do that because of their background in CPR. Fortunately, in today’s world, CPR has been simpler and easier to administer. If, in the old days, you had to keep track of the number of compressions that you need to do as well as the artificial respiration that you have to administer, today, you only have to worry about the depth of the compressions that you make plus the quantity that you administer in a span of one minute.

In order to be a hero, you have to make sure that you are ready to face challenges like these. One way of doing that would be by enrolling yourself in a CPR training and certification program.