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For many years, Washington State has proven to be the premier CPR save state in the country. Why is that? Well, when you make it mandatory for teenagers to take a CPR course before graduating from high school, you tend to get an increase in cardiac arrest patients who receive field CPR and discharged from the hospital. Cardiac arrest can happen at any moment. It can occur when you are not expecting it, and it most likely will occur when you are by yourself or with someone who doesn’t have the skills to do a simple procedure. Washington State apparently has a large number of people who ae trained to save a life. The State also has people who will take the time to attempt to reverse the progress of death by performing CPR and calling for help. The rest of the country doesn’t get a good grade. The reason most likely is because there are not enough people trained to do CPR. Or there are people who just don’t take the time to check on that person laying on the ground or the one who falls in the department store. Could it be that disease plays a role with the low numbers? I mean, after all, who wants to do mouth to mouth and get a disease from someone the rescuer doesn’t know? Well, there is good news. The American Heart Association (AHA) has completed research and informs us that mouth to mouth can be omitted; especially when there is no barrier device or pocket mask available to use. This technique is for the lay person. The lay person is that person who wants to help but is not a Healthcare Provider (HCP). On the other hand, HCP’s who find that he or she is in a position to provide CPR and do not have any medical equipment can also disregard mouth to mouth. Once Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrives, airway control with chest compressions can be established. Nonetheless, chest compressions are the most important aspects and should be started without delay. Pushing hard and fast is the preferred method for chest compressions, and since people have a tendency not to do anything because he or she believes that they have to do mouth to mouth, the AHA would prefer chest compression over nothing. So what does that mean? Does the victim not receive oxygen since there is no mouth to mouth? Human beings have a four chamber heart. It is very rare that people have three chambers, although it is not impossible. So, let’s take a mental look at these for chambers. When the center of the chest (two to three fingers above the bottom of the chest bone) is compressed at or slightly passed 2 inches; and allowed to have complete recoil as compression is relieved, the flow of oxygenated blood swirl through those chambers and goes up to the neck vessels and to the brain. That is enough oxygen to allow the brain to maintain survivability until advanced care arrives. There are two chambers at the top of the heart and two bigger chambers at the bottom. By keeping hands on the chest and pushing at a rate of 120 (hard and fast), restarting the heart becomes entirely possible. CPRis accomplished by people who have no medical experience what-so-ever. So, why are so many of them surviving cardiac arrest when there are people who know CPR? It is because there are not enough people with the knowledge. In this country, we have an opportunity to make a difference. We are moving forward; not backward, so let’s demonstrate our ability to act on certified and proven science to educate as many people as possible. Every student who enters the 8th grade should have a mandatory class in CPR. In the tenth grade, those students should have an update class on CPR. And in the 12th grade another class. After that, it would be on a voluntarybasis. However, with each renewal of their driver’s license or identification card, a CPR card should be issued. This could simplybe accomplished by submitting a current copy to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) personnel. We have to take life seriously! If it means taking drastic measures to make people aware that cardiac arrest is survivable, then let’s do so. Moreover, when someone returns to life from cardiac arrest, tears of happiness and joy is felt from every single family member and friend. Why do we wait until it is too late? Wake up the government and turn this story into action. It is the only way.
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Ennis is an Advance Life Support caregiver providing emergency care, training, motivating and educating on a national level for over 35 years with strong concentration and enormous success in business consultation, motivational and safety speaking, minor project management and customer service management. Ennis has been a Supervisor and Associate Supervisor in California, Okinawa Japan, and S. Korea with experience in leading teams and managing large groups of personnel.
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For many years, Washington State has proven to be the premier CPR save state in the country. Why is that? Well, when you make it mandatory for teenagers to take a CPR course before graduating from high school, you tend to get an increase in cardiac arrest patients who receive field CPR and discharged from the hospital. Cardiac arrest can happen at any moment. It can occur when you are not expecting it, and it most likely will occur when you are by yourself or with someone who doesn’t have the skills to do a simple procedure. Washington State apparently has a large number of people who ae trained to save a life. The State also has people who will take the time to attempt to reverse the progress of death by performing CPR and calling for help. The rest of the country doesn’t get a good grade. The reason most likely is because there are not enough people trained to do CPR. Or there are people who just don’t take the time to check on that person laying on the ground or the one who falls in the department store. Could it be that disease plays a role with the low numbers? I mean, after all, who wants to do mouth to mouth and get a disease from someone the rescuer doesn’t know? Well, there is good news. The American Heart Association (AHA) has completed research and informs us that mouth to mouth can be omitted; especially when there is no barrier device or pocket mask available to use. This technique is for the lay person. The lay person is that person who wants to help but is not a Healthcare Provider (HCP). On the other hand, HCP’s who find that he or she is in a position to provide CPR and do not have any medical equipment can also disregard mouth to mouth. Once Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrives, airway control with chest compressions can be established. Nonetheless, chest compressions are the most important aspects and should be started without delay. Pushing hard and fast is the preferred method for chest compressions, and since people have a tendency not to do anything because he or she believes that they have to do mouth to mouth, the AHA would prefer chest compression over nothing. So what does that mean? Does the victim not receive oxygen since there is no mouth to mouth? Human beings have a four chamber heart. It is very rare that people have three chambers, although it is not impossible. So, let’s take a mental look at these for chambers. When the center of the chest (two to three fingers above the bottom of the chest bone) is compressed at or slightly passed 2 inches; and allowed to have complete recoil as compression is relieved, the flow of oxygenated blood swirl through those chambers and goes up to the neck vessels and to the brain. That is enough oxygen to allow the brain to maintain survivability until advanced care arrives. There are two chambers at the top of the heart and two bigger chambers at the bottom. By keeping hands on the chest and pushing at a rate of 120 (hard and fast), restarting the heart becomes entirely possible. CPRis accomplished by people who have no medical experience what-so-ever. So, why are so many of them surviving cardiac arrest when there are people who know CPR? It is because there are not enough people with the knowledge. In this country, we have an opportunity to make a difference. We are moving forward; not backward, so let’s demonstrate our ability to act on certified and proven science to educate as many people as possible. Every student who enters the 8th grade should have a mandatory class in CPR. In the tenth grade, those students should have an update class on CPR. And in the 12th grade another class. After that, it would be on a voluntarybasis. However, with each renewal of their driver’s license or identification card, a CPR card should be issued. This could simplybe accomplished by submitting a current copy to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) personnel. We have to take life seriously! If it means taking drastic measures to make people aware that cardiac arrest is survivable, then let’s do so. Moreover, when someone returns to life from cardiac arrest, tears of happiness and joy is felt from every single family member and friend. Why do we wait until it is too late? Wake up the government and turn this story into action. It is the only way.
Vlad Magdalin
