Lightning safety may seem like one of those kooky, half-baked ideas, but according to the National Weather Service (NWS), lightning is actually a major cause of storm related deaths in the U.S.. In fact lightning is a bigger danger to people (on average) than hurricane or tornado. The NWS notes that, “A lightning strike can result in a cardiac arrest (heart stopping) at the time of the injury, although some victims may appear to have a delayed death a few days later if they are resuscitated but have suffered irreversible brain damage.”

Storm Data, a National Weather Service publication, reports that …read more

Those of use who learned cardiopulmonary resuscitation years ago learned that there was a rhythm of the number of breaths you gave (artificial respiration) alternating with the compression (heart “massage”) that you gave. What ratio you used depended on if you were doing CPR alone or with a second person. Now, a study has found that the “new” way of doing CPR is providing a better outcome for patients.
Although CPR done immediately raises the chances of a good outcome, there were problems with remembering the right way to do it, spending time giving breaths, lowering the number of compressions, and …read more

We don’t often hear about children learning how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but that doesn’t mean they can’t. After all, skills learned early are often retained in some sense. And, researchers found that this is true for CPR too.
When I used to teach first aid, people used to say to me that they couldn’t possibly learn first aid or CPR because they always panicked in an emergency. I’d counter with, they probably panic because they don’t know what to do.
Knowing first aid or CPR doesn’t mean you have to know how to do everything perfectly. It does mean that …read more

Video games have reached far beyond mere entertainment, particularly with the new interactive video systems, like Nintendo’s Wii system. The Wii has gotten people up and moving – people from all walks of life, including seniors in some nursing homes. And now, the Wii system may just increase the number of people who know  how to do CPR – cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
According to this article, CPR to be taught via Nintendo Wii game , students at the University of Alabama are working with the American Heart Association to come up with a program that can teach the proper way to …read more

* Chest compression alone nearly doubled the chances of a good neurological outcome in patients at greatest risk (those that stopped breathing, which accounted for 90 percent of those in the study).
* The good outcomes were most likely if the rescue attempt began within four minutes of the collapse.
* Mouth-to-mouth ventilation provided no real benefit.
* Those given compressions alone survived as often as those given traditional CPR (chest compressions plus rescue breaths).
What do you think about this?  This follows new research that shows mouth to mouth is not necessary for survival of cardiac arrest.  This was studied due to the …read more

A little late but better then never! Last week was National CPR and Automatic External Defibrillator Awareness Week.
With that being said, are you prepared to administer CPR at home if need be?
According to the American Heart Association 80% of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home so being trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation can mean the difference between life and death for a loved one.    
This is very important as it is pool and water season among the Northern hemisphere.  It is important to stay current with CPR as well- as it changes every so often based on research and …read more

CPR…very pertinent, important information for each and every person out there! Have you ever actually witnessed someone out and about fall into cardiac arrest? The majority of you are shaking your heads no, but for all that have been a part of this… it is plain out scary.
I live, I mean live for a good code, cardiac arrest or respiratory distress call. I am after all a cardiac critical nurse through and through, but not outside of those hospital walls. It is just as scary for me as anyone else… CPR-especially on a stranger.
Another study has concluded that chest compressions …read more

Suffering from cardiac arrest while staying in a hospital might be more deadly than receiving such a fit at a crowded airport, according to a new study.
Being a nurse, I find this hard to believe. I would think that we would respond quicker and get CPR and an ET tube in place quicker than an innocent bystander looking for the AED on the wall. I can not remember more than a 3-4 minute lag or down time for any code situation that I have ever personally been involved in. And what if the person needs to be trached or …read more

* Chest compression alone nearly doubled the chances of a good neurological outcome in patients at greatest risk (those that stopped breathing, which accounted for 90 percent of those in the study).
* The good outcomes were most likely if the rescue attempt began within four minutes of the collapse.
* Mouth-to-mouth ventilation provided no real benefit.
* Those given compressions alone survived as often as those given traditional CPR (chest compressions plus rescue breaths).
What do you think about this?  This follows new research that shows mouth to mouth is not necessary for survival of cardiac arrest.  This was studied due to the …read more