Changes to Unconscious Choking
October 1, 2014
From: Allen James
Fall is here. School is back in session and the holidays are coming along with some vacations. Hopefully, all has been safe and will continue to be so for the rest of the year. If you need any last minute 2 year CPR & First Aid training in Spanish or English, let’s plan soon. We still have dates open for 2014, so call or e-mail with any date requests or questions you may have.
Remember, we have quality instruction with a focus on orchestrating learning that includes a process on how to ”think” about an emergency and then providing a “tool box” of CPR and First Aid skills. This training prepares your employees to respond to both corporate and individual emergencies and enables them to prepare their families for natural disasters. What a wonderful benefit to pass onto your employees’ families.
Changes to Unconscious Choking
The Red Cross has recently made a change regarding unconscious choking that may be incorporated in the 2015 standards. The change is as follows: anytime a victim has no signs of life, do 30 chest compressions, chin and head tilt, open and inspect month, if you see an object, remove it with a finger swipe, squeeze the nose and give two breaths. If the chest rises, you have a clear airway. If it does not rise, the airway is blocked. Repeat the 30 chest compressions, month inspection/sweep, and two breaths.
This change has moved the unconscious choking tool into the “no signs of life” response by adding mouth inspection and finger sweep as needed. This change does make sense considering that we always respond to what we see. When your choking victim collapses, you know what the problem is and you respond with 30 chest compression, mouth inspection/sweep, and two breaths. When you have a “no signs of life” victim, you will not know if they have a clear airway until you give 2 breaths. By inspecting the mouth, you are ahead of the victim’s response curve. This can be done with adults, children and infants. Remember, you have other options with infants.
Finally, the most important tool you have is chest compressions. It will circulate oxygenated blood and blow an object out of the airway.
Postal Service or E-mail for Newsletters
Let me know your preference for receiving our newsletter. If you have received the newsletters via USPS and prefer e-mail, please e-mail me the e-mail address you wish or multiple addresses as needed. If you wish not to receive them at all, please let me know. If you have any subjects you wish me to look into, please send me your questions; others may have the same inquiries.
Be Safe!
As a first responder, your part in this process is crucial; that is why good training is critical. We can provide that training. Remember - Life Matters
Back to Top | Back To News
CPR Training for Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Napa, and Marin Counties.