Sanctuary Garden Diary: This post could save a life

CPR & DEFIB WORKSHOP

The wheelbarrows were lined up and ready to go, along with the list of tasks to choose from, at our Sunday 9th October working bee. The morning was punctuated by classic Auckland downpours but nonetheless a lot of tasks were achieved.

Bev, once again tried to avoid the paparazzi, but to no avail!

As part of our Health and Safety awareness, Alison gave a workshop on how to administer CPR and use the Unitec defibrillator.

Anne, our workshop dummy is unpacked.

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE WITH CPR & DEFIB

If someone has collapsed and needs help, follow the DRABCD rules.

D - Danger, assess

R - Responsiveness, check if there is any.

A - Airways - ensure they are clear.

B - Breathing, check.

C - Compression, start CPR.

D - Defib, if one is available

If someone has collapsed, stay calm and work with speed as every second is important for a good patient outcome. With every minute that passes, there is a 10% loss of a healthy outcome. This is reduced significantly down to 3% per minute if CPR is used.

Shout out for help, have someone call 111 immediately. Then call Unitec Security to bring the defib 021 610 877.

(Put this number into your mobile phone now).

If you are on your own, follow the DRABCD rules. After 30 x compressions, ring 111, then continue with CPR.

D - Danger

Assess if it is safe. No live cables or poisons etc. If necessary, move the patient to a safe area. Do this quickly taking no more than 5 seconds to assess the situation.

R - Responsiveness

Try to rouse the patient. Call their name, shake them, pinch their earlobe. Again, act quickly.

A - Airways

Check the airways are clear. Tilt the patients head back, open the mouth and sweep you finger through their mouth. If there is an easy to remove obstruction, remove it. Work quickly.

B - Breathing

Check to see if the patient is breathing. Pinch their nose and put you head down close to their mouth to hear or feel any breathing. Look towards their chest to see if it is rising and falling with breathing.

C - Compression

Put one hand on top of the other, on a line from under the patients armpit to the middle of their chest - just below the sternum (breastbone).

Start compressions. Do 100/minute and aim to push down 5cm into their chest with each compression. Sing "Staying Alive" to keep the correct rhythm.

After 30 compressions, pinch their nose, tilt the their head back and give 2 x long slow breaths of air to the patient. Face their body so you can see their chest rise when you give the 2 x breaths.

If there's more than one person assisting, then someone needs to assume the leadership role. CPR is tiring so be prepared to relieve each other.

For a baby, do CPR with 2 x fingers only and push down 1/3rd of the depth of their chest.

For a child, use 1 x hand only and again push down 1/3rd of the depth of their chest.

Continue for a long as possible - until you are exhausted if necessary.

Once the defibrillator has arrived, unpack it. Follow the (clear and simple) instructions that come with it. Remove the patients top clothes to expose bare skin to place the two paddles on the patient as per the pictorial instructions.

Unpack.

Follow the instructions to set up defib.

Attach wires to pads.

Diagrams in defib kit show where to place pads.

Turn on the defib and follow the voice prompts. Do not touch the patient when the defib gives the patient a shock - follow the voice prompts.

The defib will do an analysis after shocking patient. Continue CPR while this is happening. If no more defib shocks are required after the analysis, then keep giving CPR if reqired - if the patient is still not breathing.

Collapse is often the result of a cardiac arrest. This is usually caused by the heart rhythm becoming more like a vibration rather than a beat. The use of the defibrillator stuns the heart back to a beat but must be assisted by CPR to reset the correct rhythm.