First aid is a set of activities done in a recommended procedure in order to offer assistance to sick or injured victims with the aim of reducing their pain, preventing death and improving recovery period. What startles most CPR certificate online students today is why the course seems to be different every time they come across it.
International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation is an organization that does reviews after a certain duration to ensure safe and effective first aid procedures globally. After getting CPR certificate online most never see the need to upgrade their skills to the latest ones approved by the ILCOR. Supposing you lost track of the latest developments in the first aid, here is an insight to most of them and why there is need for these changes.
1. Training For Dealing with Opioid Emergencies
The new update to how opioid is supposed to be handled is the drawing line between saving a life and leaving a patient to their fate. A first aider nowadays needs to be able to identify what an opioid overdose looks like and how they need to react. Trainees have to also be enlightened on how to administer doses of naloxone to the patients. Knowing this minor difference is crucial to saving the life of a victim of an overdose. Initially, common first aid and CPR procedures never involved training on how to properly deal with the overdose of opioid medication until now which is why you have to enroll for a first aid CPR training after a certain duration just to revisit and sharpen your skills.
2. Number and Rate of Compressions
Before the recent changes, it was recommended that CPR constitute of about 100 chest compressions per session. Recently the bar was raised to 120 chest compressions to improve effectiveness and this is after realizing that many chest compressions done at a fast rate have a high possibility of restoring blood flow and breathing. The recommended speed sums up to 30 compressions every 15 seconds which has proven to be very effective in saving the victim’s life. Mouth to mouth resuscitation is highly discouraged today, especially in the event that the first aider does not have the proper CPR masks to be used. The hands-only approach is therefore universally accepted as the most effective technique. Most first aiders, however, undertake training but only about 40% of them can actually attempt to revive an injured person. Remember hands-only approach protects you from contracting unknown infections like HIV and AIDS and Hepatitis C.
3. Hypoglycemia Cases
Before the recent changes to first aid manuals and procedures, first aiders were encouraged to offer sweet products to low blood sugar patients. Even better solutions were however designed for instance the glucose tablets which are very effective in regulating the blood sugar levels in the body. In its absence, it is advised that other sugar forms and candy can be used on the patient. The most appropriate candy however for such cases are the jelly beans or Mentos in their absence.
4. Bleeding Control
Uncontrolled bleeding can be very devastating and life-threatening in the case of an accident. Back in the day, tourniquets were not advised as bleeding control measures and hence other techniques like applying pressure gained massive popularity among first aiders. Upon this review, tourniquets are now perfect for control of severe bleeding. Their design allows them to apply sufficient pressure when tied around the bleeding areas and hence controlling blood loss. You can now include it in the must-have tools of your first aid kit today before rushing to an accident scene.
5. Aspirin for Handling Chest Pains
Aspirin has been known to allow blood flow to the heart naturally. Cardiac arrests and heart attacks often leave the victims in severe pain in the chest resulting from the inability of blood to flow to the heart. While waiting for the first responder to come, a patient may chew one adult tablet of aspirin or alternatively two low ones to ease their pain. You mitigate the amount of damage on the heart by taking this medication hence an important detail for both the public and first aiders to know just in case of an emergency.
6. Cellphones and Technology
First aiders are now being encouraged to embrace technology for their life-saving missions. Through the use of modern apps, it has reduced the number of lives lost to emergencies. A certified first aider could register on such an app and get notification whenever there is an emergency case within their location. You also have to be fast as a first aider to call for emergency medical services before beginning your life-saving procedures. This will improve chances of the patient getting professional medical help after you are done with the primary medical assistance.
