Could You Save A Life?

[bluntforcemama]

I could save the life of someone choking, tie a tourniquet (and put the time on their forehead), CPR, and basic first aid, but other than that I might be sadly lacking.

 

[kellycummings]

I was an EMT for a few years and can still recall almost all of my training.
Basic first aid is incredibly simple though. Direct pressure, traction on a break, hold c-spine, don't put that severed finger in ice, and DON'T put butter on the burn. Who the fuck thought up that one anyway?

 

[Weird Harold]

I could save the life of someone choking, tie a tourniquet (and put the time on their forehead), CPR, and basic first aid, but other than that I might be sadly lacking.

You know enough to have prevented the tragedy that resulted in the Save A Life Foundation then and you definitely know enough to handle most emergencies long enough for EMS or other help to arrive.

For those who have looked in and not posted because you don't think you could save a life, Basic First Aid isn't "Rocket Science" and small actions taken early can save a life just as surely as Heroic Actions can.

Sometimes, just knowing when something is serious enough to dial 911 is enough -- every year I see at least one news story about some preteen or preschool "hero" who saved a parent or sibling just by knowing how to recognise a serious problem and how to get help.

If you answered "No", look up the Red Cross or Save A Life Foundation and find out whenthe next basic first aid class is -- and then go take it.

 

[morninggirl5]

My 10th grade Health class was taught by the head football coach and he told us nothing in the book would ever really be that important to know, so we would be learning first aid and cpr. We were all Red Cross Certified after the class, and i've kept my certification current since then.


Your question gave me a question of my own. The PE staff and clinic assistant at my school have First Aid and CPR training every year. I wonder if ANY of the other teachers in my building have any training.

 

[Weird Harold]

Your question gave me a question of my own. The PE staff and clinic assistant at my school have First Aid and CPR training every year. I wonder if ANY of the other teachers in my building have any training.

That might be a good thing to find out.

What do you think of Save A Life Foundation's "age approriate training" progrm beginning in Kindergarten? Would it be worth recommending to your school board?

 

[Sailbad the Sinner]

I could save a life, I did twice.

Could you lose a life?

I lost one and blamed myself for not being able to save him. It wasn't my fault, he was already dead but I still blamed myself. I went through a period of depression and said I'd never do it again. A couple of EMT's told me that over 90% of individuals trained will never have to nerve to apply life saving techniques. These same EMT's told me I would do it again, it's the nature of the beast.

 

[NastasyA]

can certainly
(i work to live how 'general' nurse
=)))))

 

[kellycummings]

Your question gave me a question of my own. The PE staff and clinic assistant at my school have First Aid and CPR training every year. I wonder if ANY of the other teachers in my building have any training. [/B]

My experience with schools while I worked in EMS was that many require all the staff to at least know the basics. CPR, basic first aid, etc.
I'm sure that not all schools do that though so it's always wise to check if it is a concern for you.

 

[morninggirl5]

That might be a good thing to find out.

What do you think of Save A Life Foundation's "age approriate training" progrm beginning in Kindergarten? Would it be worth recommending to your school board?

I know it's not a part of the required staff development each year, so it would be an individual teachers own effort to be certified.


The program definitely looks good to me. Recommending anything to our school board that isn't directly tied to some standardized test is like talking to a wall. If it's not on the test, they don't want to hear about it.

It might be something I'd do with my own class and then let the news travel.

 

[Mae13]

Ayup!

BLS/ACLS/TNCC/NRP...all that fun stuff you're supposed to have workin' in my hospital.

Fortunately I haven't had to put that knowledge to use very often, and I'd like to continue that trend!

Although I'm glad for the introduction of AED's to so many public areas, it's important to have first aid skills of all sorts. Refresher courses are great to keep things rote so you'll be more functional if your skills are needed.

Hopefully if the time comes it's not when you find out that you faint at the sight of blood!

 

[jfinn]

I've have the training and I've used it. Didn't actually save anyone though. The ones who lived were going to anyway; the one who died wouldn't have made it no matter who was there.

Another type of place that is appallingly unprepared to handle a real emergency is a store. I found this out several years ago when I worked in a pharmacy for a large retailer. A man had a heart attack. The store manager paged over the intercom asking that anyone who knew CPR should come to the back of the store. I went and so did one (out of 75 or so employees to say nothing of customers) department manager who'd been a medic in the service twenty years before. There were others who wanted to help, but they didn't know what to do.

Up until then I'd assumed that at least the management staff would have been given some basic training in emergency medicine, but I was wrong. Not only that, but there wasn't even an emergency kit, or I should say they had one, but when it was brought to us the only things it had in it were bandaids and triple antibiotic cream. It was a real eye-opener.

Since then I've asked other people I know who work retail if they have any plan in force for medical emergencies, but about the best I get is that they'd pick up the phone and call 911. Pretty small comfort for the person who's struggling to survive.

Jayne

 

[wideeyedgrin]

EMT-I, batting 1 out of three for CPR saves, about average.

 

[Minkey Boodle]

I'm a certified Lifeguard. If you're in or near the water, I got you, if not, I don't know if I can save ya.

 

[Weird Harold]

Up until then I'd assumed that at least the management staff would have been given some basic training in emergency medicine, but I was wrong. Not only that, but there wasn't even an emergency kit, or I should say they had one, but when it was brought to us the only things it had in it were bandaids and triple antibiotic cream. It was a real eye-opener.

I would have thought that OSHA regulations would at least insure at least one adequate Emergency Kit in every business, if not someone trained to use it. Your experience proves that as intrusive as OSHA has been in places where I've worked, (around electrical equipment) it's apparently not intrusive enough in less hazardous workplaces.

I did notice that Save A Life Foundation's webpage carries a "Homeland Security Seal of Approval." Perhaps, like the Nuclear threat that drove First Aid and and "Civil Defense Readiness" classes in schools when I was young, Homeland Security might actually have some beneficial effect by bringing back "Preparedness Education."

 

[Bidin~Time]

Whether anyone ever has to use it, it's good information to have.

You might even want to print this and refresh your memory now and then.

Thanks WH.

http://www.charleston.net/stories/012703/sci_27medical.shtml

 

[cloudy]

WSI (Water Safety Instructor) and CPR certified, both current.

I've had to pull two people out of the water, and had to perform CPR once. Sadly, the lady I performed CPR on died, but was informed by her son later that she wouldn't have been able to be saved had she been in the hospital with doctors gathered. (He most graciously came to thank me for at least trying when so many are concerned about possible lawsuits).

I, too, worked at a major retailer for many years.....in fact, it was in one of their stores that the incident with the elderly lady happened. One good thing that came about because of it was that we put a program into effect where anyone that carried keys to the store was CPR certified, so that there was never a time when someone with that much-needed training was not on the premises.

One thought though: after the lady died, I went through a huge guilt/depression period, and would love to see more time/effort spent on that subject, along with the training. It was a very unexpected effect. I should have felt that I had done everything I could, but instead, went over and over it in my mind, trying to figure out what I had done wrong.

Cloudy

 

[Woodmiester]

Able? yes ...... evc/emt/emt-p ...... bls ...... Basic & Advance First Aid ...... CPR and a host of others

someone said put traction on a break? Do that to me and I have a compound fracture, hope you have good insurance cause I'm gonna own you lol

Immobilize fractures if possible as well and the neck and spine in any case of a fall or even a possible fall.

A lot of people know just enough to get themself in trouble or accidently harm another, so my suggestion is take the courses and learn, don't depend on sites to "teach" you if anyone was thinking that.

Another said positive results from doing CPR were 1 in 3? That's damn good odds. While a FF/Medic I did CPR on around 200 people and my experience was 1 in 200 and he died 3 days later from CHF but I think the training is still vital. The others that are or were in the field might agree, sometimes doing the basic ABC's will save someone that's simple passed out, drunk or for some reason has their headed tilted in such a way that the airway becomes blocked so simply tilting their head back opens it and badabing, they live.

Nice thread

 

[Stonedagger]

Well

Before i broke my arm - had my NITDP instructors level for cpr and first aid - and i am a registered nurse but now - not sure if my body could take the stress - but i have saved a few lives in my time!

 

[warrior queen]

i have my senior first aid, as well as cpr and basic nursing.
yes, i have had to use my learned skills on a couple of occasions, 2 of which ended in fatalities (as a result of the initial accident!)

would i do any of it to a stranger again?
probably not.
family - yes, stranger - no.

i have been in the position of having to undergo HIV and hep testing as a result of my involvement in an accident situation where i assisted, and there is no way i am ever putting myself in that position again.
the patient had both HIV and Hep C........ luckily, i tested negative for both.

but it could have been so much worse for me - and i have my own family (3 kids) to think of.

 

[MechaBlade]

I've had CPR training, but not First Aid. However, I'm not that worried since I haven't had a chance to use either so far.

 

[oggbashan]

I would have thought that OSHA regulations would at least insure at least one adequate Emergency Kit in every business, if not someone trained to use it. Your experience proves that as intrusive as OSHA has been in places where I've worked, (around electrical equipment) it's apparently not intrusive enough in less hazardous workplaces.

In the UK the First Aid Kit supplied to businesses has gradually got smaller with less and less in it because in many cases "Do nothing" is better than doing something wrong.

Too many people assume that because they have watched a few emergency room TV shows that they know everything about First Aid.

Knowledge of CPR, the Heimlich manoevure, how to stop profuse bleeding and the recovery position is more than enough for most incidents. Doing them under stress is something else.

Og

 

[RobDownSouth]

Knowledge of CPR, the Heimlich manoevure, how to stop profuse bleeding and the recovery position is more than enough for most incidents. Doing them under stress is something else.

Og

Well said.

I had first class training in the military and then went to work for a trauma center. Night and day.

But to answer the original question: You have a better chance of living if I find you then with just about anyone else. That's not cocky, that's confidence. And its a confidence acquired dearly...like Sleeping Warrior said earlier, you don't forget the ones who got away.

 

[Lost Cause]

Advanced first aid and emergency care, FEMA training in organizing rescue efforts in the event of natural or terrorist disaster, AED qualified, hand to hand combat trained, counter terrorist team leader, and handy with the hind-lick manuever!

(Come on, I couldn't stay serious for that long!)

 

[Byron In Exile]

"Forty-thousand men and women every day" — Blue Oyster Cult

 

[Weird Harold]

In the UK the First Aid Kit supplied to businesses has gradually got smaller with less and less in it because in many cases "Do nothing" is better than doing something wrong.

True, "do nothing until qualified help arrives" is often the prescribed action. But I'm a bit surprised at the reasoning behind making the kits smaller. Just before I retired, the mandatory minimum inventory for First Aid kit required to be kept in your car in Germany was increased to include two pair of surgical gloves.

Of course those kits are intended for First Responders to use and NOT for the motorist to use; in fact they have to be shown to be sealed and/or complete to renew your vehicle registration.

Too many people assume that because they have watched a few emergency room TV shows that they know everything about First Aid.

Of course, part of the "knowledge" gained from TV and Movies is that you can be sued if you try to help and fail, so it sort of evens out.

Knowledge of CPR, the Heimlich manoevure, how to stop profuse bleeding and the recovery position is more than enough for most incidents. Doing them under stress is something else.

I think it's the confidence of having some training that really makes the big difference -- Often just knowing who to call or where to look for information or help is enough to allow some sort of effective action (or intelligent inaction) under stress..

As a very young child, I knew enough to look at the label on the can of Drano for the antidote when my younger brother thought Crystal Drano looked tasty. Today, that information on the label usually includes the phone number of the Poison Contral Center hotline for most poisonous househld chemicals.

Teaching children about the information on labels is a starting point in teaching them to "Save Lives" -- it's not a bad thing for adults to learn and remember either.