BLS Rules

08/27/2021

Randall Champion accidentally touched a high-voltage line, electrifying himself and stopping his heart. A fellow linemen J.D. Thompson performed mouth-to-mouth CPR until paramedics arrived. Champion survived. This famous photo is known as "The Kiss of Life." (1967). Photo by Rocco Morabito.

11/06/2019

Seizure emergency care
Epilepsy is a neurological disease that makes a person more prone to having a sudden, unexpected seizure. It is often characterized by a history of seizures with no underlying specific cause.

In honor of National Epilepsy Awareness Month, let’s take a moment to learn more about this neurological disorder and the appropriate emergency care response for someone having a seizure as a result of the disease.

The Epilepsy Foundation explains that:

Epilepsy can affect anyone. According to the World Health Organization, epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder worldwide with no age, racial, social class, national or geographic boundaries.

Public misunderstanding about epilepsy causes social challenges like bullying, discrimination, and depression. People don't want to talk about it, but we can no longer ignore it.

Over a lifetime, one in 10 people will have a seizure, and one in 26 will be diagnosed with epilepsy. There are 3.4 million people in the U.S. living with active epilepsy - that's more than Autism Spectrum Disorders, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis and Cerebral Palsy combined. Yet, Epilepsy receives one-tenth of the research funding than any one of those neurological disorders.

To learn more about the Epilepsy Foundation’s “Let’s Use Our Brains to End Epilepsy” awareness campaign and how you can help, visit endepilepsy.org.

Responding to a Seizure

Most seizures last only a short time and stop without any special treatment. While there are many things, including epilepsy, that can cause a seizure to occur, the care pro­vided is always the same:

Protect the person from injury during the seizure.

Move objects away that he or she may bump into. Protect the per­son’s head from injury as a priority.

Do not restrain the per­son. Allow the seizure to take its course.

If possible, roll the person onto his or her side to allow saliva to drain from his or her mouth.

Do not put anything in the person’s mouth, including your finger. There is no danger of the tongue being swallowed.

Activate EMS if the person does or experiences any of the following:

Is injured or vomits during the seizure

Has no history of seizure

Has multiple seizures or continues to seize for more than 5 minutes

If breathing is present after a seizure stops, which is likely, place the person on his or her side in a lateral recumbent recovery position to protect the airway.

If responsiveness and breathing are absent, begin CPR and use an AED, if available.

Normally, once a seizure stops, responsiveness improves slowly over time. Provide continual reassurance as the person’s mental ability recovers. Provide privacy to min­imize embarrassment. it is best to not allow the person to perform actions, such as driving or operating machinery, that could pose a risk for additional injury. Continue to monitor until EMS personnel take over care or the person returns to normal.

10/29/2019

After a little research, I have some good news as it relates to staff needing to renew their Pediatric CPR & FA. I spoke with a specialist at Idaho 211 and both the State of Idaho and City of Boise are honoring the two-year certification duration of the CPR/FA card. No more annual recertification requirements.

Feel free to share with any facility directors you know and want to help save some money for their team members!

07/30/2019

EYE SAFETY AND RESPONDING TO EYE INJURIES IN CHILDREN

Whether your kids are playing in summer sports leagues or training for their school sports tryouts, eye safety is an important part of staying safe in the field and on the court. In honor of the upcoming Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month in August, today’s blog post reviews eye safety best practices and how to respond to a child with an eye injury.

For high-risk sports such as baseball, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, and any sport with the potential for eye injuries, the National Eye Institute recommends that:

Everyone should wear protective eyewear.

Ordinary prescription glasses, contact lenses, and sunglasses won’t protect you from injuries. Most protective eyewear can be made to match your prescription.

For the best protection, use eyewear made of ultra-strong polycarbonate.

Choose eyewear specifically made for your sport and make sure it fits comfortably on your face.

Responding to a Child’s Eye Injury

Small foreign objects on the surface of an eye will cause irritation and discomfort. Encourage the child not to rub the affected eye. Have the child blink several times to see if the eyelid or tearing can remove the object naturally.

If not, flush the eye with tap water or saline eyewash solution. Flush outward from the nose side of the eye. If pain continues or the child feels like something is still in the eye, cover the eye lightly with a gauze pad and seek professional medical care.

For objects that pe*****te, or impale, the surface of the eye, prompt professional medical care is required. Quickly activate EMS.

Never try to remove an embedded object. Place a protective cover over the eye to prevent pressure on the object, such as a paper cup or cone. Because eyes move together, cover the uninjured eye with a pad and bandage over both eyes to prevent movement of the affected eye. Covering both eyes can be distressing; stay with the child, and calm, comfort, and reassure him or her to help reduce anxiety. Regularly assess the child until EMS personnel take over.

Remember, when responding to an injured child, using child-friendly communication techniques can help you effectively provide care. These include:

Maintaining a calm, confident tone while speaking to him or her.

Telling the child your name and ask for his or hers, then using his or her name during the course of your care.

Looking and talking to the child, involving him or her in making decisions.

Whenever a child is seriously ill or injured, a parent or guardian should be contacted as soon as possible. However, never delay calling EMS to do so. Call EMS immediately any time you recognize an emergency exists or you believe a child needs professional medical attention.

04/26/2019

AHA or ASHI???
CPR certification can make a world of difference, and many CPR training options are available, including the American Heart Association and the American Safety and Health Institute classes. So, if you have the choice between the American Heart Association and the ASHI CPR class, which one should you choose? The answer lies in what type of training you need. The American Heart Association dominates the healthcare CPR market so, it is essential you check to see what your organization recognizes as a BLS Provider course. For all other CPR and first aid courses, the American Safety and Health Institute will satisfy the requirements and better yet, will most likely save you money and time.

12/12/2018