Tuesday, April 24, 2012

First Aid Continuum Today For Our Team

We participated in our annual training program to keep us up to date and certified for basic life support and advanced first aid delivery for our patients. Thanks to Tara from West Coast First Aid for today's update!

One of the things that is tough for any patient to deal with is the thought of a medical emergency, much less at the dental office.  But I am proud to be a part of this team, because we rehearse situational emergencies on a regular basis in our practice.  Over the past 12 years, our team has trained for proficiency in emergency airway management, advanced cardiac life support, applications of automated defibrillators, and disaster preparedness.

We are located 5 blocks from our city fire station and EMS response unit. That has resulted in very quick response times for our patients in need. Our medics are a great crew, and we have worked seamlessly with them on past calls to get our patients out of trouble and stabilized for transport.

Today's training brought up a few valid concepts that every citizen should know. First, remember that if you think someone is having a medical emergency, you an provide emergency CPR or first aid without worry of liability under the Good Samaritan Act.

Secondly, the steps for basic CPR are changing. If you are uncomfortable providing mouth-to mouth breathing for a patient, it is no longer required. 100 chest compressions per minute is adequate action if a person is unresponsive.  The literature shows that more lives were saved when chest compressions were delivered compared to chest compressions plus breathing support.

Basic CPR training is offered through most companies and businesses that interact with the public. Ask your employer today.

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