Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

5 Cardiovascular Emergencies, CPR and AED Health Care Provider & Basic Life Support (BLS) The steps of BLS consist of a series of sequential assessments and actions, with the intent of the steps to be in a logical and concise manner that is easy for all types of rescuers to learn, remember, and perform. Integrated teams of highly trained rescuers known as Health Care Providers (HCP) may use a choreographed approach that accomplishes multiple steps and assessments simultaneously rather than in the sequential manner used by individual rescuers, For example, one rescuer calls 911, while another begins chest compressions, a third either provides ventilation or retrieves the bag-mask device for rescue breaths, and a fourth retrieves and sets up an AED.

HCP’s are encouraged to simultaneously perform some steps (ie, checking for breathing and pulse at the same time for no longer than 10 seconds) in an effort to reduce the time to first compressions. For pediatric patient’s (children and infants) HCP’s may initiate 15:2 versus 30:2 if two HCP rescuers are present. Rescue breathing (or ventilations) can be performed to a patient that is inadequately breathing (below 12 breaths per minute but has a pulse) at a rate of 1 breath delivered over 1 second ensuring enough volume to produce chest rise and fall. (See Chapter 3 Airway & Breathing) Bag-mask ventilation (BVM) is an essential CPR technique for healthcare providers. Bag-mask ventilation requires training and periodic retraining in the following skills: selecting the correct mask size, opening the airway, making a tight seal between the mask and face, delivering effective ventilation, and assessing the effectiveness of that ventilation.

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