First aid, CPR, medical - Why get trained?

Absolutely right. Drag the patient onto the floor or CPR will be ineffective. Excellent point.

 

FA/CPA

Taking a first-aid and CPR course this week-end. I think it includes AED use. I'll get back to you on Monday.

 

If you can't get advance cardiac life support withen 7min. basic life support (cpr) is basically useless.

BWM

 

Per a recent tactical trauma course we were taught these in reverse order. It makes sense in a tactical situation to focus on circulation first. The other two won't too much if you bleed out. I'd never thought about it like that.

 

I could agree with that. You would have to weigh the amount of blood loss and how long the patient has gone without air. Keep in mind it may take 15 minutes to die of blood loss, but only 2-5 minutes to die from airway obstruction.

Combat lifesaver and Army medics, as far as I know, still establish an airway first. If you have more than one set of hands, simultaneous treatment of both is the best approach.

 

When my first child was born the place I worked at offered cpr/first aid. Back then there was no aed. I have taken it every time it has been offered. I guess I took to it too well because now I am a trainer myself. Also am a Medical First Responder and a EMT - IV. My wife is a Medical First Responder. It has been handy when my son was in scouts and still is for my wife who is a Girl Scout leader. I have told her and my children take these type of classes because you never know when it will come in handy.

 

One thing you stated That I agree with 100% Emergency Medical training is one of the most important things to know. During any large emergency, 911 will be overwelmed and you are the one left hold down the fort.

The best way to honor someone who is gone, is to keep the memory of them alive. I think you are doing a great job with that story. Retell it as much as you can and maybe your experance will help others.

 

I keep meaning to take a first aid/CPR course, because reading/theory is one thing, the actual implentation is totally different. Most of the first aid I use around here tends to be for the cats/dogs, but being so far from external help, best to have internal

 

I am a firefighter/ emt and as part of my job I preform CPR in our small district about once a month on patients. The biggest difference in outcome for people that have had a cardiac event is early CPR. I would strongly encourage everyone to learn CPR. There are some different types of CPR that can be peformed if mouth to mouth is not your cup of tea there are options like hands only CPR. It truely makes me sad to hear of an occasion that ems and hospital personell couldn't effect a positive outcome.

 

I am CPR/AED/FIRST AID Certified through the American Red Cross. I keep my FA/CPR/AED Participant's Manual in my workplace "BOB". I think this is the way to go IMHO.

 

Here's my 2 cents:

Seeing your Doc for an annual physical exam is a good idea, but make sure its a COMPREHENSIVE physical exam. Be sure to ask your Doc for a referral to a cardiologist for a cardiac workup as part of your physical exam. My treadmill exam revealed a 60% occlusion in a cardiac artery from which I got to ride in the back of an ambulance to the hospital where I ended up with 2 stents being inserted into the artery THAT DAY. Had I not had that cardiac workup, I probably would have had a heart attack and not be around to throw this 1 cent to you.

The other thing you want to do is be sure you get a GOOD cancer screening as part of your physical exam, both radiological (X-Ray/CAT Scan) and hemotological (comprehensive blood panel, not just a CBC). Fortunately, my lung cancer was detected before the tumor penetrated the wall of the lung and all I lost was the left upper lobe of my lung. The Chemo and Radiation treatments I had to undergo weren't any fun, but at least I'm now considered a Cancer Survivor and am around to toss you the other 1 cent.

There you have it, my 2 cents worth.

 

It's a darned good idea! I'm CPR certified, my wife is an RN (and a prior EMT), our daughter is LPN working on her RN degree. My son passed his CPR certification two years ago, but neglected to recertify last year.
I've never had to put the training to use, but one never knows.

 

I was just certified in CPR/AED training. Certification is good for two years and the class was only about an hour. I now want to take the first responder class available through the red cross...

 

1 hour?!?!?

Mine was 16...

 

Yes. We did child/adult/infant CPR/AED and then covered choking on the three as well. Was with an county EMS class.

 

MM, my condolences on the loss of your friend!
I just saw this thread!
I went back to college in 2002 in NYS, at 52 years old, to become an EMT!
I am on a volunteer ambulance service!
If any can get the certification, go for it!
You, at some point will end up being your own doctor!
it is an option that should be mandatory for any, with what most know is coming!
God Bless!

 

I also work as a rescuer and gives people first aid those who needs it in emergency situations. We the rescuers, have to put our life in danger and save people. After reading your experience I am inspired a lot.

 

Hi Guys,

This is my first post after stumbling across this forum looking for general first aid tips and guides and so I'm hoping to jump straight in!

I've been talking a long time to mates around how things they've always taken on face value and assumed would always be there might not be, mainly to just play devils advocate when I think someone has blindly disregarded something that I saw as quite important to consider.

I've always thought that people should always be out to help each other and recently I had a bit of an eye opener watching some documentaries around first aid and how a lot of people freeze up and panic when they are in the situation, have the best intentions, but as in the OP they're unsure if they may cause more harm than good, and I suddenly realised this was me!

I've done basic first aid in the Army Cadets and probably discussed it in school/clubs when I was much younger but for the most part it was all theory with tests which were very very easy, if tested at all. Even after learning it, I pretty much always just thought it best to ring and wait for assistance than dive in to CPR when I wasn't sure what what pressure, how many compressions, where exactly to place my hands...

Also as a bit of a coincidence, after thinking I should probably carry the small store bought first aid kit I purchased in my car, the very next day I stuck it into my bag to take with me, some colleagues of mine sharing a ride turned up 2 hours late to an offsite meeting, soaking wet and covered in blood, because they witnessed an accident involving a car losing control, coming off the road in the rain and crashing head on into a tree.

After speaking to them about it and asking about what they had on them, they'd also never considered seriously carrying any kind of first aid kit with them in their car, and also didn't remember much apart from 'put pressure on the wound' and used a fleece against the drivers head wound.

I've been reading up on all sorts of survival guides I've bought over the years and not got around to reading, as well as looking at online bits and bobs but was wondering if anyone knows what level of training is available in the UK?

I've discussed at work what is available and so far what I've found is a 3 day St Johns Ambulance course in first aid which seems a good start, but apart from that I'm not aware of any further advancements that lead on from there? It seems in America there are all sorts of advance courses and qualifications that can be achieved by civilians and I was hoping to find the same is true in the UK but haven't found anything similar?

Apologies for the long post

 

Found out last week that the local FD gives free first aid classes and if you want certification plus CPR it is cheaper then the Red Cross classes. I am signing up for the whole class, certification etc....

 

You might try these guys.
http://www.aatl.co.uk/