June is National Safety Month

June is National Safety Month. We do our Monthly Newsletter and anyone who receives it will note that one of the informative stories for June is about the new Hands-only CPR for adults that we found in the Costco Connection. We decided that it was worth repeating for those of you who don't receive our newsletter. It goes as follows:

THE NEW HANDS ONLY CPR

The American Heart Association has simplified cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines, calling for a hands-only approach with the goal of saving more lives. The previous guidelines called fro a combination of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions, but many potential responders failed to take action because they feared doing those procedures in the wrong order or for the wrong duration, or feared mouth-to-mouth contact. Only about 25% of Americans who experience cardiac arrest receive CPR, but it does make a huge difference. Quickly getting CPR doubles or triples survival chances. The new hands-only approach is aimed at bystanders who witness sudden cardiac arrest. If you see an adult suddenly drop over, be quick to do the following:
1) Have someone call 911 immediately, or do it yourself.
2) With the patient flat on his or her back, place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest and the other hand on top of the first. Lock your elbows and perform fast, forceful chest compressions at a rate of 100 per minute, lifting your hands slightly after each push to allow the chest to recoil. Take turns with a partner if one is available, and continue until paramedics arrive.
3) If an automated external defibrillator is available, attach it to the patient and follow the voice prompts. Otherwise, keep compressing the chest.

A child who collapses is more likely to have breathing problems, so mouth-to-mouth resuscitation should still be used with children.

We thought it was very interesting and a good thing to know.