CPR is an essential technique that should be part of the education of all first aid staff. It is used in situations where the patient is no longer breathing. It is used to support respiratory function until alternative medical care has arrived or the patient resuscitates independently. Breathing stops for several different reasons, so staff should be aware of how to perform CPR and how to approach emergency incidents in CPR Classes in Vancouver WA, as part of their CPR certification in Vancouver WA.
The respiratory system should be familiar to first aid staff. This will also enable them to understand how breathing can be hampered or stopped altogether. Sometimes, they will be required to physically remove a blockage, while other patients will require CPR until such time as alternative treatment methods are available.
Physical obstruction of the respiratory system is extremely serious and can be caused by two main issues. One of these is actual physical impediment, such as where a foreign object has been swallowed. The object gets stuck in the throat or oral cavity and impedes breathing. The first aid person then needs to extract the object. They need to do this without causing injury or further obstruction, and they do not have ample time to do so.
But there are other causes of blockage, such as water or blood. Internal bleeding is extremely dangerous, especially where the blood is obstructing the air passage. Mucus is another possible cause of obstruction. In both cases, the first aid staff should know how to eliminate the obstruction without causing injury to the patient.
Pulmonary (lung) obstruction is also possible. The total surface area of the lungs is actually very large, but if they are obstructed then this area is decreased and less oxygen enters into the bloodstream. This, in turn, leads to indirect medical conditions.
A decrease in the surface area of the lungs is therefore serious and causes reduced breathing. The patient might not be aware that this is happening. They therefore cannot tell the first aid provider that they are suffering from this condition and they slowly suffocate, untreated. Small kids sometimes swallow foreign objects which cause this to happen to them, since the objects are transferred into their lungs. Their oxygen supply is decreased yet they are unable to inform anyone else of this and they start to exhibit symptoms of suffocation.
Another emergency is a punctured lung, which is caused by the obvious incidents, such as stabbing or mechanical trauma. This causes the lung to collapse, so that it cannot absorb oxygen at all. The first aid person should be aware of this situation and should also realize that the lung needs to be sealed off before CPR is started. A punctured lung cannot hold air or maintain internal air pressure and CPR will be useless. It should be determined where or how the lung has become punctured, and the puncture should first be sealed before CPR is commenced.
All of these eventualities should be dealt with before or in conjunction with CPR, so that the treatment of the patient is as effective as possible. Once breathing has stopped, there is very little time to treat the patient, so first aid staff should know how to address these incidents.
Search for CPR certification in Vancouver WA by going to the official web page. Students should visit this useful website http://www.code3safety.com/vancouver-cpr-and-aed-classes/ at their earliest convenience.
