CPR should be both effective and continuous

Conducting a camp on Hands Only Hands On CPR 10 camp at Lady Reading Nursing School, Padma Shri & Dr. BC Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India said that over 24 lakh people die in India every year because of cardiac arrest, 18 lakh of them die before they reach the hospital and 12 lakh can be revived by the bystander by learning the technique of Hands Only CPR 10.

Internationally, it is a must for every health care worker to learn Hands on CPR and renew their learning every year.

Conducting a camp where 150 nursing students were trained, Dr. KK Aggarwal said that nurses are the backbone of the society and are amongst the first ones to come in contact with a cardiac arrest victim in a health care setting. They should start CPR at the very onset of sudden cardiac arrest and not wait for the resident doctor to come. Call to the emergency team can be given by a ward boy or safai karamchari.

 Most people die either because of bad performing CPR or low quality performance of CPR.

 Following are the important factors:

1.    Early recognition of sudden cardiac arrest by noting absence of respiration or gasping breathing.

2.    Providing adequate and effective CPR by remembering the words “Push Hard and Push Fast” by focusing on the quality of chest compressions.

3.    Allowing no interruption in CPR

4.    Taking not more than ten seconds to check for pulse.

5.    The rate of compression should be at least hundred compressions per minute.

6.    The Chest should be compressed for at least 2 inches with each compression.

7.    Chest should be allowed to recoil completely after compression.

8.    Chest compression should only be given with a person on a hard bed or on floor.

9.    To avoid rescuer fatigue, one may alternate the chest compressions.

10. If more than one rescuers are available, one should not attempt more than two minutes of resuscitation.