BLS Resuscitation Flashcards
Noninvasive emergency life-saving care that is used to treat medical conditions, including airway obstruction, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest
Basic Life Support
BLS sequence of events
ABCs
BLS sequence of events for cardiac arrest
CABs
Check for a pulse for no more than ___
10 seconds
Permanent brain damage is possible after only ___ without oxygen
4 - 6 minutes
If breathing stops before the heart stops, then they patient may have ___
Enough oxygen in the lungs to stay alive for several minutes
When cardiac arrest occurs before breathing stops, ___
The heart and brain stop receiving oxygen immediately
Used to re-establish circulation and artificial ventilation in a patient who is not breathing and has no pulse
CPR
CPR depth
2 - 2.4”
CPR rate
100 to 120 /min
Goal of CPR
Help restore spontaneous breathing and circulation
Timeline for oxygen deprivation in the brain
0-1 min: Cardiac irritability
0-4 min: Brain damage not likely
4-6 min: Brain damage possible
6-10 min: Brain damage very likely
10 min+: Irreversible brain damage
ALS differs from BLS by ___
Cardiac monitoring, administration of IV fluids and medications, and the use of advanced airway adjuncts
Some cases where BLS may be all that is needed to restore pulse and breathing
Choking, near-drowning, or lightning injuries
Chain of survival links
- Recognition/activation of EMS
- Immediate high-quality CPR
- Rapid defibrillation
- Basic and advanced EMS
- ALS and post-arrest care
- Recovery
Interruptions between compressions should be minimized and no longer than ___
10 seconds
Purpose of allowing the chest to fully recoil
Allow blood return to the heart
The first step when approaching a patient in need of CPR after determining if the scene is safe
Determine responsiveness
If a pulse cannot be felt definitively after 10 seconds, ___
Begin chest compressions
For BLS purposes, who is an infant, child, or adult?
Infant: younger than 1 year
Child: 1 year to about 12 to 14 (onset of puberty)
Adult: Onset of puberty and older
Determining puberty for BLS
Breast development in girls and underarm, chest, or facial hair in boys
Two basic differences in providing CPR for infants, children, and adults
- Emergencies in which infants and children require CPR usually have different underlying causes
- Anatomic differences in adults, children, and infants, such as smaller airways
Cardiac arrest in adults usually occurs ___ respiratory arrest
Before
Cardiac arrest in infants and children usually occurs ___ respiratory arrest
After
Most prehospital cardiac arrests occur as the result of a ___
Sudden cardiac rhythm disturbance
Sudden cardiac rhythm disturbance
Dysrhythmia
VF
Ventricular fibrillation
VT
Ventricular tachycardia
The normal heart rhythm is known as ___
Normal sinus rhythm
Disorganized quivering of the ventricles, resulting in no blood flow and a state of cardiac arrest
VF
Rapid contraction of the ventricles that does not allow for normal filling of the heart
VT
If you witness a patient’s cardiac arrest and an AED is available, then ___
Deploy the AED immediately and then begin CPR
Apply the AED to infants or children after ___
The first 5 cycles of CPR have been completed
Cardiac arrest in children is usually the result of ___
Respiratory failure
AICD
Automated Implanted Cardioverter-Defibrillator
Deliver shock directly to the heart if necessary
AICD or pacemaker
How to recognize AICD or pacemaker
They create a hard lump beneath the skin, usually on the upper left side of the chest (just below the clavicle)
How to place AED pads with a pacemaker
At least 1” away from the device
If you observe a patient with a pacemaker’s muscles twitching as if they were just shocked, then ___
Continue CPR and wait 30 to 60 seconds before delivering a shock with the AED
If the patient is wet, ___ prior to attaching the AED pads
Dry the chest
If the patient has transdermal medication patches, ___ prior to attaching the AED pads
Remove the patch and wipe the skin to remove the residue
Positioning of a patient for CPR to be effective
Supine on a firm, flat surface, with enough space for two rescuer to perform CPR and use the AED
How to find carotid pulse
Locate the larynx and then slide two fingers toward the side closest to you. The pulse is felt in the groove between the larynx and the sternocleidomastoid muscle, with the pads of the index and middle fingers held side by side
CPR ratio of time devoted to compression vs relaxation
1:1
Complications of chest compressions
Fractured ribs, lacerated liver, and a fractured sternum
It takes ___ compressions to reestablish effective blood flow to the heart after chest compressions are resumed
5 to 10
Compression to ventilation ratio
30:2