Basic Life Support 1 & 2

Question 1

approximately how many people in the UK sustain cardiac arrest outside the hospital each year?

Answer 1

30,000 people

Question 2

what is the percentage of people who suffered an out-of-hospital, bystander witnessed cardiac arrest getting discharged from hospital alive?

Answer 2

15.8%

Question 3

early CPR vital intervention before arrival of emergency services increases the chances of survival by how much?

Answer 3

double/triple chances of survival

Question 4

if defibrillation is delivered promptly, the chances of survival can go as high as?

Answer 4

75%

Question 5

what are the 4 components of the chain of survival? each component aims to do what?

Answer 5

• early recognition and call for help: to prevent cardiac arrest
• early CPR: to buy time
• early defibrillation: to restart the heart
• post-resuscitation care: to restore the quality of life

Question 6

adult basic life support: chain of action?

Answer 6

1) unresponsive, not breathing normally
2) call 999, ask for ambulance. get AED
3) 30 chest compressions
4) 2 rescue breaths
5) continue 30:2
6) use as soon as AED arrives

Question 7

what to do if person you are rescuing has diseases/conditions in oral cavity that risk transmission?

Answer 7

use barrier devices to give rescue breaths

Question 8

how to check response in a person that has collapsed?

Answer 8

• shake shoulders gently

- ask if person is all right

Question 9

checking response: if person responds, what do you do?

Answer 9

• leave as you found him
• find out what is wrong
• reassess regularly

Question 10

opening airway:
how to carry out?
what if person has neck injury?
look inside mouth for?

Answer 10

• head tilt, chin lift
• jaw thrust
• look inside mouth for obstruction, if there is solid material remove it CAREFULLY

Question 11

breathing & circulation:
how to check for normal breathing?
what not to confuse normal breathing with?
which pulse should you be feeling for?
how long should you spend checking for a pulse?

Answer 11

• look, listen & feel
• agonal breathing
• carotid pulse
• no more than 10 seconds

Question 12

what is agonal breathing?
how to describe it?
recognized as a sign of?

Answer 12

• breathing that occurs shortly after the heart stops in up to 40% of cardiac arrests
• barely, heavy, noisy or gasping breathing
• a sign of cardiac arrest

Question 13

chest compressions: which part of hand goes on which part of patient’s chest?

Answer 13

• heel of hand

- lower half of patient’s sternum

Question 14

chest compressions: at what rate and depth should it be carried out? must allow ____?

Answer 14

• 100-120 per min
• 5-6cm
• allow recoil

Question 15

rescue breaths:

what should be looked out for in the chest if the rescue breaths are carried out correctly?

Answer 15

• the chest should rise, and be allowed to fall before repeating next breath

Question 16

rescue breaths: recommended volume of air?

Answer 16

tidal volume: 500-600ml

Question 17

what does AED stand for?

Answer 17

automated external defibrillator

Question 18

AED procedure?

Answer 18

• switch on device: some automatically switch on when lid is opened
• apply pads to patient’s bare chest
• plug in pad connection
• analyzing rhythm: do not touch patient
• shock advised charging: do not touch patient
• deliver shock: press button with flashing light

Question 19

AED: no shock advised - what to do?

Answer 19

• press pause if needed

- start CPR

Question 20

continue CPR until?

Answer 20

• patient breathes normally again: place in recovery position and monitor ABCDE
• emergency services arrive
• health professional tells you to stop

Question 21

adult choking: difference between severe and mild airway obstruction?

Answer 21

ask patient to cough, if cough is ineffective - severe obstruction. if cough is effective then it is a mild obstruction

Question 22

severe airway obstruction: what to do if the patient is conscious? or unconscious?

Answer 22

• conscious: 5 back blows, 5 abdominal thrusts

- unconscious: start CPR

Question 23

mild airway obstruction: what to do?

Answer 23

encourage cough. continue to check for deterioration to ineffective cough, or until the obstruction is relieved